


Child of the Machines: Origins

by Westward



Series: Child of the Machines [1]
Category: Horizon Zero Dawn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Growing Up, Light Angst, Origin Story, Prequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-07-11 15:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15974846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Westward/pseuds/Westward
Summary: Aloy was always destined to be a child of the wilderness, either raised by men… or by Machines.Part One of an episodic retelling of Horizon Zero Dawn, but taken two steps to the left.





	1. Chapter 1

The High Matriarchs had been arguing for days.

The four elder women have not left the Mountain since Teersa first heard the babe’s cries early that first morning. The child, naked but for a small embroidered cloth pulled off of a nearby table, had been shivering from the chilled air inside the Mountain. She had been left alone on the pedestal, just in front of the everlasting vessel of All Mother, the Womb of the Mountain.

At once Teersa had ordered the Mountain sealed off, leaving the settlement of Mother’s Watch down by the Mountain’s foothills questioning why their leaders had gathered for an emergency congregation. The lesser Matriarchs, who typically held the right to sit on these meetings to voice their opinions, but barred from actual decision making, were sent down to Mother’s Watch. The lesser Matriarchs had left with questions their elders would not answer. For the High Matriarchs had none.

The babe had startled the High Matriarchs in more ways than one. Where had it come from? Surely this must have been a trick in poor taste, from one of the younger lesser Matriarchs. But if not, it let Teersa’s imagination run wild with questions and speculations. Could she surely be… the daughter of the Goddess? Or perhaps the unholy spawn of the Metal Devil? But most importantly, what could this mean for the future of the Nora?

These questions did not sit well with any of the High Matriarchs. 

And Teersa was thankful that it had been her to find the child. And not Lansra. The eldest of the High Matriarchs, for all her knowledge and experience, was known to be overly cautious. Even paranoid and conservative in her beliefs. To find the babe there, lying before the Womb but just under the motionless claws of the Metal Devil, High Matriarch Lansra would have damned the child before the others would have ever known about her existence.

This thought has crossed Teersa’s mind often these past couple days. Each time it did, it felt like she had swallowed a stone. How it sat in her stomach uncomfortably. It kept her from sleep, and as these past few nights passed, Teersa had made it her job to watch over the sleeping baby, keeping her within arm’s reach.

This child was an enigma. But Teersa knew that the Matriarch’s were not murderers. They were mothers at heart. But scared mothers could also be as dangerous as an agitated Watcher when threatened.

As time passed, and with their food reserves gradually growing smaller, the four High Matriarchs finally agreed with one thing: they must decide the fate of the child soon. No matter what, the child could not grow up locked inside All Mother Mountain for her whole life, a secret to never be uncovered by the rest of the Nora.

Lansra’s opinion had been known from the start: abandon the child. She was the spawn of the Metal Devil, a curse bestowed on them, and she would only lead to the ruin of the Nora Tribe.

“You would not accept a fox into your house, only for it to eat your geese behind your back.” Lansra once spouted angrily near the end of the third day. She was tired; they all were, and her words were growing colorful as her mood soured. “Allow a Brave to leave her out in the wilds. You three will not have to worry about blood on your hands if she succumbs to the elements.”

“We cannot condemn a child to death. I will not stand by and allow for it to happen.” Matriarch Naja said, determination was thick in her voice as well.

Matriarch Naja was the youngest of the four. Her first great-granddaughter had been born only two months ago, with a second due to arrive before the spring’s first thaw. Due to her age and recent advancement as a High Matriarch, her voice carried the least amount of weight between the four of them, but Teersa was glad to have an ally on her side despite it all. Even so, it did not seem to sway Lansra.

“She is a baby, Lansra!” Teersa added.

Teersa’s emotions these past few days were a mixture of fear, sadness, and panic. Lately however, she had been feeling tired above all. She was tired from lack of sleep, as well as the exhaustion from arguing nonstop.

“Is it even a child, my sisters? She is a demon, mark my words. Do not so foolishly invite it into your hearts, Like Teersa has.” Lansra said snidely, catching Teersa’s gaze with cold, frightened eyes. To further her point, Lansra extended a single finger towards Teersa, who was currently holding the baby in question.

There was a pause, as all four seemed to collect their thoughts. They’ve already argued this extensively for days. Nothing new has been said since then. They were no closer to coming to a decision.

“But what if this is a test presented to us by All Mother? If we throw her out, would we not deserve All Mother’s wrath?” Matriarch Jezza finally spoke up. She was the most prone to holding her tongue during their debates, and even when she did speak, her judgment was usually impassive.

“For decades we’ve kept watch within the Mountain, communing with the Goddess. I’ve led the Nora through troubled times without incident, without complaint. Surely the Goddess would have given us a vision about this child if that were the case.” Lansra retorted.

Teersa felt devastated when she noticed Jezza and Naja slowly consider the other Matriarch’s words, turning it over in their heads. And then Jezza slowly nodded in agreement. With Jezza’s non-vocal approval, Lansra’s voice would most surely decide the fate of the babe. Teersa could not let that happen.

“There must be another option. Surely we could keep the Tribe safe without ensuring the death of one so young.” Teersa finally spoke up, the hint of panic in her tone of voice was growing noticeably.

Teersa was still holding the child in question, right in the nook of her arm. Like she had done so for her own children, and her children’s children. All the while, Teersa kept the baby covered with furs as the child slept, away from the scolding eyes of Lansra and the fearful yet curious gazes of Jezza and Naja. The child was completely unaware that Teersa held her fate in her hands, quite literally.

Teersa gathered her voice again. “Perhaps there is a way where the poor girl won’t have to die.”                                                                                                                                                       

“What will you have us do, Teersa? Cast her out?” Jezza said, her voice sounding as tired as she looked. “She is too young to look after herself.”

With that statement, Jezza made a sound of frustrated disgust. The old woman stood up and walked out of the room, picking up a candle as she did so. Jezza was muttering to herself, her usually calm demeanor having finally cracked during this last tirade of speculations and squabbles. Thus the meeting was put on hold, as they all must be present to make a decision. Teersa let out a breath she had been holding in for quite some time, relieved that the child was spared for just a little bit longer, even if it was for another hour.

Lansra was next to leave, almost unable to stand in the same room as her perceived demon. Naja left soon after, and with that Teersa finally had the safety of privacy to uncover the baby girl. As she did so, Teersa cooed to the girl, and was happy to see that she was rewarded with a soft smile. The baby gurgled as Teersa brought her up to her face, her small hands clenching and unclenching in reflex.

Teersa was greeted with the girl’s bright green eyes, which seemed so inquisitive even at such a young age. Teersa caught herself smiling at such a sight and let out a small chuckle despite the almost hopeless situation the two found them in. This only brought up memories of herself as a young mother, holding her own children at this age. Teersa always had a soft spot for newborns.

Teersa knew this child was no demon. The Demon was a Machine, and this girl was of flesh and blood. Lansra was foolish to think otherwise. No, the girl was placed here for a purpose, one that Teersa could not fully recognize. No matter what, it was the Goddess’s will, and Teersa was astounded that she was the only High Matriarch to see it was so.

“Don’t worry, young one. I’ll make sure you’re safe.” Teersa said, her voice soft as she brought the child back into the nook of her neck.

Goddess, she was growing too attached. Teersa shook these thoughts out of her mind as she stood up as well, forcing herself to not smile, lest the others see it and question her capabilities of deciding the young one’s fate. Lansra already felt that she was too biased to make a sound assessment. Oh, if only Lansra knew the same could be said for her as well.

But enough worrying for the moment. It would be best to feed the child before they decided her fate. Teersa did her best not to think about it as the girl’s last meal.

Two hours later, and the four High Matriarchs reconvened in the same room as before. Now the child was asleep, and it brought some peace to Teersa’s mind. The four Matriarchs were kneeling on the ground, forming a small circle. Naja had relit the candles before the meeting commenced, and the room was covered in a warm halo of light.

The four said a quick prayer to the Goddess, asking for strength to come to a sound decision. Once the prayer was ended, all eyes turned to Jezza, for she seemed to be the only one who had not voiced her own opinion on the matter.

And she seemed to be the deciding vote. All four High Matriarchs knew this.

Unfortunately, Jezza turned to hold Teersa’s gaze. “The child cannot remain here. It is too dangerous.”

Teersa could almost hear Lansra’s smile, and it made her stomach churn in bitter denial. She was about to speak up, however she was stopped as Jezza held up a patient finger. The second eldest Matriarch was not finished with her judgment.

“I believe there is an option we can _all_ agree on.” Jezza said, turning to look at both Teersa and Lansra as she spoke. There was a pause as she took a deep breath. “There is a way that we can keep the Tribe safe while not condemning the girl to death. We could cast her out; keep her within the Sacred Lands while still away from the main Tribe.”

It was Naja who spoke up, who seemed surprisingly upset with Jezza’s proposal. She sounded taken back. “I thought you had been joking, Jezza! We cannot make the child an Outcast! She’s too young to care for herself. It would be as good as leaving her to the elements.”

“I agree.” Teersa added, holding the child closer to her heart subconsciously.

“I thought about this over supper. There is a way it could work.” Jezza said, shaking her head slightly. She was trying her best to show her other Matriarch’s reason. “We could have a fellow Outcast raise her. Her life would be hard, but it would still be a life to live.”

“No Outcast would take her. It is difficult to live alone, let alone to feed and care for a newborn out in the wilderness.” Teersa said. She glanced down at the sleeping form in her arms. Outcast at birth, what a horrible twist of fate for one so young.

“Outcast or death, Teersa. She cannot stay within the Tribe.” Jezza spoke, her voice filled with the authority that spoke for their whole people. Jezza’s decision was resolute, unwavering. “I fear casting her out will be the only decision we can all agree upon.”

At this, Jezza turned to face Naja. After a few moments for contemplation, Naja nodded her head in agreement. “If this is the only way, so be it.”

Teersa knew when she was outvoted. And if this was the only way to keep the child safe, then she prayed the Goddess would forgive her for going along.  Her next words were shaky, despite her best efforts to keep a strong expression. “Then so be it.”

With three votes, Lansra was quick to agree as well. It seemed she cared not for this outcome. Either way, the child would have been taken care of; the danger to the Nora was averted.

“But who would take her?” Teersa asked. Everything was perhaps good in theory, but if no one could claim her, then this would have all been for naught. Her argument still stood; no one would take an extra mouth to feed, especially for one who was living the hardships of being cast out.

“It would have to be someone trustworthy, but Outcasts like that are far and few between. And those who are would surely return to the Tribe after finishing their sentence… It would have to be one serving a life sentence.” Naja stated.

There was only one who fit those specifications. All four High Matriarchs knew this.

“What happened to Rost was a tragic series of events.” Lansra said, finally submitting and bringing her eyes down to the floor. Even she, the staunchest believer of traditions and upholding them, held respect for the luckless man. “He was a good man. If asked, he would take this… child without hesitation.”

For once, Teersa agreed with her fellow High Matriarch. Rost was a good man, whom she knew personally when she was much, much younger. He used to be a small, young boy with scraped knees, determined to run on Brave trails before his legs finished growing. And he was an honest man that was raised on the same traditions Lansra treasured. Perhaps this was what was best for the child. If anyone could make the girl into a fine Nora woman from outside the warm embrace of the central Tribe, it would be Rost. He would protect her with his life.

Yet it felt so cruel to ask him to take in a child when he had lost his own flesh and blood in such a horrible manner. Teersa could only ask herself if Rost would see this as punishment, but she hoped the man would know better.

After all, the Goddess worked in mysterious ways. Perhaps all that transpired these past years were meant to be.

As dawn rose on the fourth morning, All Mother Mountain was reopened to the Embrace, and the High Matriarchs only announced one decree: any Braves that were strong and able, volunteer for the search and retrieval of the Outcast Rost, no questions asked.

 

* * *

 

_7 years later…_

Aloy felt like her body was too heavy to rise from her furs. The crackle of the fireplace almost lulled her back to a deep sleep. That is, if it weren’t for Rost’s heavy footsteps that made the floorboards creak against his weight. It was morning. Very early, before the sun had even risen above the peaks of the Embrace’s mountain range. Aloy clung to the furs tighter, curling into a ball. It did little to stave off consciousness, however, as Rost finally made his way towards her and tapped her shoulder gently.

“It’s time, Aloy. We need to leave before the herd moves on.” Rost said, his voice low as if not to disturb her too much. He patiently waited for her response, but when he received none, Rost shook her shoulder with a little more force. “Aloy. If you wish to run in the Proving, it’s best to learn the basics now.”

With that Aloy finally grumbled out a small, tired moan. She slowly opened her eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them with the back of her hand. She was met with Rost’s warm and friendly blue eyes staring down at her. Rost’s clothes were slightly damp; it was either raining outside or the winter’s thaw had finally reached this high up the mountain. Nonetheless, Aloy knew these next few hours wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Good morning, little one.” Rost said softly. “Get dressed, we’re leaving soon.”

Aloy grumbled again as she kicked the thick furs off of her. She stumbled off the cot and quickly shrugged on her warmer gear. It was still a little large on her, Rost having once explained ‘you’ll grow into it’ when he had finished sewing it for her. Still, it felt too big, and because of that almost constricting of her movement.

“We’ll eat when we return.” Rost explained as he turned towards his pack which was resting against the far wall. He picked it up and slung it across one shoulder. “Gather your things, Child.”

Aloy did as she was ordered, still yawning. Sleep still clung to her, as her feet seemed to stumble across their small home. Aloy was quick to grab a piece of elastic rope and tied her hair into a small braid. These past few months it had finally grown long enough for a ‘proper Nora braid’, as Rost had explained. Her fingers were still a little too clumsy to make the intricate braid, but at least her hair would stay out of her eyes.

Aloy then turned to gather her own pack. She sat on the ground, pulling on her thick fur boots with one hand as she rummaged through the pack with the other. She found her sheathed hunting knife, the small pack of rocks Rost wanted her to keep at all times, as well as a half empty waterskin. Aloy frowned as he looked for the Focus, only to find that it was gone from the little secret pouch she had sewn into the Pack two months ago.

Aloy almost turned to ask Rost if he had seen it, but caught herself as she opened her mouth. Rost didn’t like the device, even if he had initially submitted and let her keep it. Aloy thought it better not to bring the Focus up. No, better to find it without his help.

Rost was finishing his own packing, so as Aloy stood up and quickly searched through her little corner of the hovel, she asked him a question.

“What are we doing, Rost?” Aloy asked, eyes darting around the furs of her cot. Her hands searched through the warm furs hurriedly. “Are we practicing with the bow? Should I bring mine?”

Aloy only paid half attention to his answer. She only heard the last few words as she finally found the Focus, which had somehow gotten underneath her pillow and the furs.

“-portant to understand the machines.” Rost said. “It’s not enough to just shoot at them, but to know where exactly.”

Aloy fixed the Focus back onto her ear as she quickly grabbed her pack and scampered towards Rost’s waiting figure by the door. Rost looked at her, trying but failing to hide the amusement on his face, which disappeared when he noticed the Focus in her ear. Aloy could see that he was physically holding back a sigh, restraining himself from chastising her.

“Aloy, perhaps it would be best if you didn’t bring that thing with you today.” Rost finally said.

“Why not?” Aloy asked. She brought a hand defensively covering the device, almost afraid that Rost would yank it off. Aloy knew Rost still thought it was dangerous to her. “You said I could keep it!”

Rost let out a tired sigh. “This… device allows you to see things, correct?” He waited for her to answer. Hesitantly, Aloy nodded. “And what happens when your device is lost or damaged? You cannot rely on it for everything.”

Aloy kept a hand over the Focus. The thought of losing one of the only things that have brought her joy these past 6 months sent a shiver over her skin, raising the hairs on her arms. She felt fear.

“You promise you won’t take it!” Aloy half shouted in her panicked state.

Fortunately, Rost was patient and disregarded her angry tone of voice at him.

“I will not take that thing away from you, child. I am simply preparing you if this were the case.” Rost said, keeping his voice level. He had not lost his patience over her yet, even if she was acting so childishly. He paused as he tried a new angle. “If you promise me not to use that thing today, I’ll see if we could have fresh turkey for dinner.”

Aloy paused. Already the device was like a second sight for her. It was so easy to look at the world through the eyes of the Old Ones. It told her things, showed her things no one else could. It helped her learn. Aloy was uneasy at the thought of having training today without the help of her Focus.

“Aloy.” Rost forced the girl out of her thoughts. “Please.”

Finally, Aloy submitted and took the Focus out of her ear. She placed it back in her pack safely. And then she grumpily opened the door and stumbled out. Fine, she would comply with Rost, but she was going to let him know she wasn’t happy about it. Rost seemed to take that as a small victory, and followed after the irritable child, already used to her growing temper.

Rost soon took the lead, as he hadn’t told the young girl where they were going yet. Rost had his bow secured onto his back, his spear in one hand that he used as support down the mountain path. Aloy, still a little grumpy, played with the string of her own small hunting bow as they walked down the path in silence.

The air was bitter despite how spring was finally settling over the land. The chilled mountain wind bit at Aloy’s rosy cheeks. Her fingertips also felt cold, and Aloy wished that she had remembered to bring her winter gloves with her. As she exhaled, a thick puff of steam escaped from her lips.

Aloy hoped that the winter bite of the morning would leave as soon as the sun rose further in the sky. This winter had been long and cold, and Aloy couldn’t wait for the warmer spring weather.

It was only when they had finally entered the valley that Rost spoke up.

“Today you’ll be having review about Machines. Their weaknesses, which Machine has which components, how each part is useful, and how to harvest them. Let’s see how much you remember without the help of your device.” Rost announced, his voice rising above the small squabble of the nearby stream, as well as the early morning bird songs.

“The Watchers are weak in the eye component.” Aloy muttered. Rost had been drilling this information into her head since the day after she had fallen into those ruins.

“Yes that’s correct. But we’re not talking about Watchers today.” Rost said.

Rost led them further into the valley, following upstream the main river, towards an area that Rost has forbidden Aloy from exploring alone. Ahead, just before the bend of the river was a Nora watch tower. It looked abandoned, as no one was standing guard. As they approached it, Rost moved slower, inspecting the structure for any Braves.  Once deeming it was safe to pass, Rost grabbed Aloy’s hand and helped hoist her up over the structure.

Once they were over the other side, Rost told Aloy to stay close to him. This area was one of the more dangerous areas in the Embrace, and where a lot of the Machines could be found. Aloy did as she was told. The high cliffs of the surrounding mountains had blotted away the only light coming from the early morning son. Any warmth Aloy had been soaking up on the journey here was suddenly gone.

“Not much further now. Stay close to me, Aloy.” Rost ordered, his voice low but firm.

Aloy obeyed, keeping within arm’s reach of the man. Soon they escaped into the thick brush that hugged the shores of the river. They followed the river upstream for a few more minutes. Aloy kept her eyes to the ground, careful not to trip over misplaced rocks or sticks.

Suddenly Rost held out a hand and stopped Aloy from going any further. Instantly, Aloy froze and brought her eyes off the ground, and up to the surrounding area. She tried to listen to their surroundings, trying to pick up any sounds that Rost could have heard. Rost did not help her find the Machine, for she needed to learn these skills on her own.

Aloy finally found the Machine Rost had heard, even if it had taken her longer than what she would have wanted. Ahead was a Watcher, inspecting the river side they were on. Once Rost was sure Aloy had spotted it, he moved through the thick tall grass with ease, his spear in hand. Aloy watched as Rost crept behind the Machine and took it down with one intense hit to the side.

Rost turned around and beckoned for Aloy to come to him. And then the two were climbing up the side of the mountain. Rost wanted the two of them to be on a small ridge just above the river, away from danger but somewhere they could see everything clearly.

As they settled, Rost pointed towards the other side of the river. Ahead, there was a pair of lonely Striders which hadn’t noticed that their Watcher had mysteriously disappeared. Aloy had instinctively gone to activate her Focus, but only found that her right ear was bare. She had already forgotten Rost didn’t want her using it for today. She frowned at the discomfort of her exposed ear.

“Okay,” Rost whispered, his voice almost lost to the wind, “let’s start with something you are already familiar with. Can you remember where the weak points of a Strider are, Aloy?”

Aloy studied the Machine for a moment, trying to remember what parts her Focus had always highlighted for her. It was hard not actually seeing it at that exact moment. It bothered her.

“The… eyes. Like the Watchers.” Aloy finally said. She was trying to keep her voice quiet as well.

“Very good. Now, what else can you tell me?”

“Striders travel in herds or packs. They tend to run away when threatened, but will attack if you get too close.” Aloy said. “Don’t get too close to a herd.”

“And…?”

“And only get close to one Strider if you think you can take it down. But I’m not big enough yet, and I should only get close once you think I can do it.” Aloy finished.

“Yes, that's correct. Now, based on what you already know, tell me where you think other weak points are.” Rost said, nodding his head slowly.

Aloy studied the Two Machines again. She knew she had been forgetting something that her Focus told her. Aloy bit her lip as she thought.

“Is it… the small bump near their backs?” Aloy asked, looking up to Rost for clarification. “It’s yellow.”

Rost nodded, smiling down at her. “Yes. That is a canister of Blaze. We use Blaze sometimes to start fires back home. Nora Braves use it to defend the Sacred Lands. In time, I’ll show you how to use Blaze to make fire arrows, which will burn hotter and longer. But first, you need to get better with your aim."

Rost then pointed a finger at one of the Striders. He then moved his finger in a vague shape.

“See the tubes running through the Strider?” Rost waited for Aloy to nod. “The Strider collects Blaze. If set on fire, the Machine will eventually burn to death. But in the process, we could damage or destroy the components you need. When you hunt a Strider, you must decide what takes priority: Harvest the parts, or to kill it as quick as possible.”

Rost quickly drew his bow and aimed an arrow at one of the Striders. Aloy watched and waited as Rost finally let his arrow fly. The arrow hit the Blaze canister on the closer Machine. The pair of Striders let out clicks and tones of surprise, their eyes changing from blue to red in an instant. Rost fired another arrow, hitting the same Strider in the eye, and then the Machine fell lifeless in a shower of sparks.

The other Strider, having no clue where the attacker was, ran further up the River. It disappeared after a bend. Soon, Aloy couldn’t even hear its heavy footfalls over the rush of water and the bitter wind that nipped at her ears.

“It’s good to see that you still remember what I’ve taught you these past few months, even without the help of your device.” Rost said. “We will go over components later today. Now we must wait.”

“Wait for what?” Aloy asked.

“Scrappers. You’ve only seen them a few times, but was before we started your training.” Rost explained.

It felt like forever just waiting on top of that ridge. Aloy had to admit that she was starting to feel a little fidgety with boredom. Rost, however, was as still as the stones surrounding them He kept his eyes on the ground below them, waiting for the scavenger Machines to arrive to collect the fallen parts. When a Scrapper finally arrived, Rost was quick to gain Aloy’s attention again.

“Now, let’s see how you do with a Machine you haven’t studied before. Tell me where you think the weak points are, Aloy.” Rost said.

Aloy studied the machine for a few seconds, watching as it slowly approached the fallen Strider. Soon, the Machine started its mouth and began breaking down the Strider into smaller parts for easier harvesting. Sparks started flying, and Aloy brought her hands over her ears, unused to the ear-splitting, sawing sounds the Scrapper was making.

“The eyes? But I can’t see any eyes.” Aloy finally answered.

“Good. And yes, the eyes are of a Scrapper are much smaller than that of a Strider or Watcher. Because of this, they are harder to take down as well.” Rost answered. “And they are much more aggressive. Taking a hit from this Machine will hurt. A Scrapper can kill an untrained hunter, or even an experienced one that is too arrogant with their skills. What else can you see, Aloy?”

“It’s got a yellow part on its back like the Strider. Is that another component?”

“Yes. There are two components on it back in fact. Here, watch this.” Rost said.

Rost fired an arrow. It hit one of the component and sent it flying off. This startled the Machine, which stopped it from breaking down the fallen Strider. The Scrapper let out an aggravated, ear splitting noise before bounding towards where it thought the arrow had come from. It had not spotted Rost yet, but it was determined to find him.

Rost waited for the Machine to come right below them. Rost grabbed his spear and then jumped off of the ridge, and Aloy moved to see as Rost dug the spear between the Scrapper’s armored joins. Rost stabbed it a second time, and then the Scrapper fell to him. Rost pried his spear free from the mechanical corpse and turned to look up at Aloy.

“Jump Aloy, I will catch you.” Rost directed.

Aloy did as she was told. She took a running jump and fell the 8 or so feet down to Rost. Rost grunted as he caught the small girl, and he took a half step back. He placed Aloy down beside him and then caught his breath.

“Soon you will be too big for me to catch you, Aloy.” Rost muttered under his breath. He bent down beside the Scrapper, taking out the tools he needed to dismantle the Machine. “Now watch. I’ll show you what we can take out of the Scrapper. What’s useful, and what we should leave behind.

“But remember what you just witnessed, Aloy. A Machine will _never_ hesitate to attack you if given the opportunity. You must be the one to take the Machine down first. Otherwise, you will risk losing your life, and the life of others.”


	2. Chapter 2

Halfway through Aloy’s 10th summer, Rost presented her with a large branch.

Aloy had been sitting on the porch of their hovel, sharpening a large pile of metal shards to make arrowheads. Their supply of arrows was dwindling, no thanks to her practicing on the Grazer dummies.  Making arrowheads was a long, boring process, but Aloy found the activity calming. It helped her not think. Sometimes it felt good to not think.

Rost had left their hovel before dawn. He had left to hunt and forage for food, as their preserved meats were running low. In this past week alone, the Embrace had been hit with a series of powerful thunderstorms. The valley had been flooding, and it looked like it wouldn’t stop. For their own safety Rost and Aloy had stayed inside, warm as cold winds whipped at their shelter. The two had had to ration their supply of food. As soon as the weather had finally looked like it was starting to turn, Rost had disappeared.

He regularly went on hunting trips. Rost had done so ever since Aloy could walk. Twice a month Rost would leave for 2 to 3 days, leaving Aloy alone to her training, or for repairing the hovel. He would return with enough meat to last until the next hunting trip. For Aloy, she believed that this time would be no different.

What had surprised Aloy was that Rost hadn’t taken her with him. A few months ago Rost had deemed Aloy sufficient in her skill with the bow. And since then Rost thought it had been a good idea to show Aloy how to hunt game, and not only machines.

Rost must have had his reasons. No matter what, he would be back in a few days; he always came back.

But surprisingly, he returned early. He must have spent perhaps the better part of half the day hunting. The sun wasn’t in the western half of the sky yet. That in itself was unusual. Aloy saw his returning figure as he opened up the main gate, but she thought nothing more about his surprising return and went back to work.

That is, until he stopped a few feet in front of her and dropped a large branch by her feet. It startled Aloy, who dropped the sharpening tool and the metal shard in her hand. Aloy looked at the branch quizzically. It was almost 6 feet in length, and almost completely straight save for the short bend at one end, which was frayed after tearing off of the tree it fell from. There were smaller twigs that branched off of it, most looking like they had been damaged on the journey back to their hovel. The thickest part of the branch was just below the middle area, too big for Aloy’s growing hands, but thin enough for Rost to clap his hands around it easily.

She turned her head up towards Rost, but his expression offered no explanation.

“Uh… Thanks Rost?” Aloy said, her tone of voice turning it into an almost question. She couldn’t help but smirk as she continued. “I’ve always wanted a branch.”

“It’s tradition.” Rost finally stated.

“To… throw a branch at me?” Aloy was still very confused.

“I’m not gifting you a branch, Aloy.”

“Okay… I’m still very confused.”

It finally seemed to click with Rost that Aloy was lost. Rost sat down beside her, where he bit his lip in thought for a few seconds. He then grabbed his spear, which had been slung over his shoulder. Rost blinked at it before pushing the spear into Aloy’s hands. Aloy fumbled with it, not expecting this turn of events. Before she could question him again, Rost spoke up.

“After a child sees their 10th summer, it is customary for Nora mothers to teach their children how to craft their first spear.” Rost said. “It is just one of many coming of age ceremonies of our people.”

“… Oh.” Aloy muttered.

Oh. And she had no mother.

_A Motherless brat._

Rost noticed Aloy’s change of mood. “I’ve brought you this branch for you instead. As well as a challenge: craft yourself a spear worthy for a noble Brave warrior.” Rost paused as he then put a hand over his spear, which was still in Aloy’s hands. “If I deem it acceptable, I reward you with my own. And in return I receive the new one you craft. This has been a Nora tradition for generations.”

Aloy stared at the spear in here hands, speechless. Rost was always big about upholding Nora traditions, almost to the point where Aloy found them annoying. Maybe it was because he was concerned she needed to know them after being an Outcast at birth. And it wasn’t like Aloy didn’t try to learn them just to appease Rost. She just didn’t see the point of caring for Nora traditions if the Nora didn’t even want her.

But this was _Rost’s spear_. The weapon was a dear treasure to him, with faded runes that Aloy couldn’t make out due to years of wear and tear. But Aloy knew enough; it was a gift given to him from someone before she was born. And Rost never spoke about his past. Aloy tightened her grip on the spear, feeling almost honored that Rost would give this to her. Almost like a father would for his daughter.

“I… how much time do I have to make it?” Aloy asked, her eyes still glued to Rost’s spear.

“There is no time limit. You can work on it until you are satisfied.” Rost said. He smiled softly, and then he held up one waiting finger. “However, we will not continue your training for the Proving until you have finished this task.”

“What?! Rost no! You promised me that I could start running the Brave Trails this month!” Aloy said with a start, almost jumping from her seat again.

“My decision is final, Aloy.” Rost said, his voice firm and allowing for no further argument. “The finished spear _must_ be from this branch. You can practice on any other branch you find, and I would suggest you do practice before you attempt your final spear.”

“Are you at least going to show me how to make a spear?” Aloy asked again, almost daunted by the task at hand, but she would never admit to it.

“I’ve taught you all you need to know. You already know how to craft arrows, how to carve wood to repair the home. How to sew, despite how that skill still tries to elude you.” Rost said. “Aloy. You have a way with technology that amazes me… and I suspect that has something to do with that device on your ear.”

Again, Aloy was self-conscious about the Focus clipped into her right ear. As she brought her right hand up to it, the Focus activated, and the world around her was painted in striking purples, blues, and yellows. Already the Focus was analyzing the spear in her hand, giving her numbers and dimensions in a language she still struggled with understanding sometimes. But she was getting better at them. At least Aloy could understand the components the Focus was listing for her.

_Hold for scan… 67% …92% … scan complete._

_… Initializing list of recognizable key components…_

_Identified Objects:_

_\-  2 Splintered armor fragments, front leg. Originated from Sigma Class RY-2b Recycler Unit, Production Line 002F17-4C. Designation: Scrapper._

_\- 5 armored mechanical joints, slightly damaged. Originated from Psi Class AQ-2e Acquisition Unit, Production Line 008F04-1A. Designation: Strider_

_\- 1.36 meters of strengthened insulated machine tubing. Originated from—ERROR. Unable to identify source. Contact Division Lead [Julia H. Schwartz] for assistance._

_\- Segments 1C, 1F, 2C, 2D of reinforced tail frame. Originated from 2 Psi Class RC-1a Reconnaissance Units, Production Lines 010B02-3A and 005B06-1D. Designation: Watcher._

_\- Dyed Woven Plant Fibers: Long Grass native to Rocky Mountain Region. Reinforced with Animal quills._

_Save list in local databanks?_

_…Y/N…_

Aloy studied the list, committing to heart the things she could understand. The Focus then fell into rest mode. She could remember those parts. She turned to see Rost studying her, and Aloy knew she had been caught in the act.

“Already I can see the gears turning in your head. You are more capable than you think, Aloy. This is your task and yours alone. I cannot help you on it.”

Aloy felt pride rising at the compliment, but she could already tell how frustrated this coming to age ceremony was going to make her. Aloy sighed and set aside the pile of metal shards. As Aloy pulled herself up off of the steps leading up to the hovel, she grabbed her knife and hunting bow. Best to find some practice branches now if training for the Proving was put on hold until she was done.

Aloy spent the rest of the day down in the valley, collecting a series of small to large sticks and branches.

It was a task that was surprisingly harder than she expected. As well as the task of climbing back up the mountain path, as Aloy was weighed down by the amount of wood in her pack and in her arms. By the time she returned at sunset, Aloy was ready to turn in for the night. But Aloy remained awake just long enough to have a late supper with Rost. Tonight was boar and vegetable stew, with a side of wild berries Rost had picked earlier that day.

The two turned in early that night, knowing that the real work would begin early next morning.

And so Aloy worked on making a spear.

But not just a simple spear, but a spear that would be worthy of Rost. One that would make any of the tribesmen jealous. Aloy worked tirelessly on those few sticks and branches she had rummaged for that first day. Every time she made a simple error, Aloy would throw the piece aside, either outside or into the hovel’s fireplace. It needed to be perfect; strong enough to stand against machine attacks, but light enough to not wear Rost down from the weight of it. If Aloy carved an indentation that was too deep and threatened the integrity of the weapon, she would only allow herself to get angry for a moment before casting the wood aside.

It needed to be the perfect spear.

For three weeks, Aloy went through practice pieces faster than she expected. Aloy had taken multiple trips down into the valley for more wood. And once Aloy had blown up in a fit of rage after too much frustration, Rost had permitted her to practice her marksmanship on the practice dummies to relieve some of her pent up stress. It was those few hours twice every week that Aloy treasured through this absurd ‘traditional ceremony’. The longer she went without making the perfect wooden base of the spear, the more Aloy was convinced this was a waste of time.

Rost watched her struggle. Aloy didn’t know whether the man was conflicted with her frustrated attempts, or amused. Frankly Aloy didn’t want to know. She was sure whatever remark he could share with her, she would have lost her temper at him. Aloy knew she was getting more and more defiant as she grew, and that Rost didn’t quite like that. So there was a tentative, indefinite non-talking agreement between the two.

At the end of the end of the first month, Aloy almost gave up entirely. Her hands were red and blistered from working on the wood for so long. They needed a day or two to rest before tackling the task again. So Aloy asked Rost if she could go hunt for the Machine components instead, to which he responded,

“That is your decision to make. If you are asking permission to go hunt Machines, you have it, Aloy. But I cannot accompany you. And again, I cannot tell you what part of the spear to work on first.”

Aloy groaned at his answer but nonetheless grabbed her knife, small hunting bow, and a quiver full of arrows. By the time she was halfway down the mountain, Aloy could feel her anger at the situation and at Rost begin to disperse. Hunting Machines always helped calm Aloy down. It was easier hunting Machines than thinking and… feeling. Feelings were difficult, harder to understand than fighting Machines.

Aloy put those thoughts aside and headed towards a nearby Strider sight, hoping to get the Strider and Watcher parts in one go. Aloy stayed off the main roads, walking in the forests just out of eyesight. She didn’t want to run into any travelling Braves or tribesmen. She didn’t want their hateful gazes on her. Or their apathetic disregard of her, which somehow stung even more than their scalding stares ever could.

Once the herd of Striders was visible in the tree line, Aloy prepared her bow and kept low to the ground. Her Focus activated, and soon Aloy could see the outline of the Machines ahead of her. 1 Watcher, 4 Striders. Aloy hoped that would be enough.

After carefully creeping closer to the small opening of trees, Aloy felt around the ground until her fingers grazed against the cold surface of a good sized rock. Aloy pulled it into her fist, and then she waited for the Watcher to approach her. She kept her eyes trained on the Machine, and her Focus automatically toggled the speculated path it would take. As it grew closer, Aloy held her breath. The tight feeling in her chest, anticipation, was a welcomed sensation.

Aloy could hear the clicks and flutter of mechanical parts inside the Watcher as it came within a few feet of her. Aloy acted fast, tossing the rock just before her. As it landed, Aloy drew her arrow, aiming the tip towards the eye of the Watcher. Just as the bulb flickered from blue to yellow, Aloy fired her arrow. 

Her aim had been slightly off, and the arrow bounced off the armored plating surrounding the Watcher’s eye. Aloy suppressed a fearful gasp as the yellow light flickered to red. She quickly drew another arrow as the Watcher started to sprint towards her. Aloy fired another shot, ready to run for safety, when the second arrow hit its mark, and the Watcher fell to the ground. Its lifeless frame dug into the ground slightly, but was otherwise undamaged.

Aloy’s first reaction was to run to the Machine’s fallen form, but Rost’s words to look at the perimeter ran through her mind. The Striders had noticed her presence. Fortunately for Aloy, she had only spooked them, and not aggravated them. The 4 Striders were already fleeing further into the valley.

Aloy sighed, frustrated in herself for not taking care of the Watcher in one hit. Now she would have to track the Striders down, or try again another day. Still, she had the Watcher, and she had a limited amount of time before a pair of Scrappers came to collect the fallen Machine.

“Alright. Let’s see what we got.” Aloy muttered to herself as she kneeled by the Watcher corpse.

Aloy was not good at harvesting Machine parts yet, as she had only done so with Rost there to help explain which parts were valuable, and which were not. Even then, Rost had done most of the work for her. Her Focus helped Aloy when it could, but this was very much a learn-from-experience skill. Aloy spent half an hour, struggling with carefully taking apart the Machine without damaging the components she needed.

In the end, Aloy only managed to obtain half of the tail segments she needed from the watcher, and she only had about 16 inches of internal tubing. Aloy hoped that was enough to be useful for something. Aloy grabbed a few more little pieces and widgets, stuff not necessarily for the spear, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some things on the side if she needed parts.

Aloy stood from her kneeling position and patted the dirt off of her pants. Perhaps an hour had passed, maybe two. But the day was still young. Aloy gathered her things and then slowly started to walk towards where the Striders had run off to.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Striders. Aloy looked for what felt like for hours. They had simply started running and never stopped.

Aloy was about to give up the chase; it was feeling pointless. Perhaps it would be best if she just located a different Strider sight and tried again. Aloy was so focused on how to locate new Striders that she hadn’t been watching where she was walking. It was only seconds before she realized she had almost walked into a ditch.

Except it wasn’t a ditch.

Aloy let out a small gasp as she fell to the ground, eyes peering into the same hole she had fallen into four years ago. It was the cave! The same ruins where she had found her Focus. The place Rost had forbidden her from ever going into again.

Aloy really wanted to climb back down there. When she was six, she had been a scared kid, running from bullies. And now she was… well, she was still a kid. But she was a foot taller, and could hold her own. And Aloy was curious.

There were some nights before she fell asleep, that Aloy always allowed herself to wonder what else she could have found down there. What else could she have come out with when Rost pulled her to safety? And now, with Rost already having started her harvesting training, Aloy was sure she could find cool old gadgets that no one else has seen since the Old Ones died.

There wasn’t much of a mental debate for Aloy. She was already carefully climbing her way back down into the ruins. What Rost didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

The descent underground didn’t take that long. If anything, Aloy hesitated when she felt water soak through her boots. She had forgotten how part of the cave’s opening had been partially flooded. Still that didn’t deter her. She’d just have to dry them out once she got through the other end of the cave. Aloy was quick to activate her Focus, and she was happy to see that it was already scanning the area.

Aloy walked through the cave, curious to see how much she could remember despite not having been here in over four years. The place barely changed, but Aloy guessed that it hadn’t changed that much since the Old Ones all died. The air felt gross and stale, but after exploring the cave after 10 or so minutes, Aloy got used to the feeling of the wet air in her lungs.

As Aloy explored, she found more Focuses on the old forms of the Old Ones. At first, she almost thought to grab one for Rost, but thought better of it. But it was good to know that if anything happened with hers, she could grab a spare within a day’s journey from the hovel.

But other than other Focuses, Aloy was disappointed to find that there wasn’t much else.

Most Nora were terrified of places the Old Ones made, so shouldn’t there be something? It’s not like scavengers would have picked the place clean. Aloy was sure she was the first person down here in decades, at least. Maybe the first person ever.

“Come on, there’s gotta be something down here.” Aloy said out lout. She didn’t want to leave the ruins empty handed.

It wasn’t until Aloy moved past the living area of the ruins that she finally found what must have been a storage room. Aloy couldn’t stop the smile growing on her face as her Focus lit up, purple shapes appearing everywhere around her.

_… Analyzing… locating objects of interest…_

“Yes! Score!” Aloy couldn’t help but cry out in excitement.

At least a dozen were highlighted again, this time with bright blue. Her Focus had found her things with tinkering potential. Aloy quickly rummaged through the containers that she could reach, searching for something that looked promising. Some places had hardened over as the cave overtook the ruins. And despite Aloy digging her hunting knife in what her Focus told her was small crevices in containers, it soon looked like half of these objects weren’t going to be accessible. But still, Aloy wasn’t going to give up.

After letting out a small, irritated sigh Aloy sheathed her hunting knife. She didn’t want to damage it and risk Rost giving her a proper scolding when she returned. Instead, Aloy turned her attention to what she believed would be easier pickings. Aloy found a container that hadn’t seemed to be too damaged over the years, hiding up on the top level of some shelving. Aloy was careful as she climbed up the shelving, pausing when she heard the structure moan under her weight.

The container was small enough to be tucked under one arm, Aloy struggled with it until she jumped back to the ground, her feet landing in the small puddle that encompassed the room. Aloy flinched at the cold water soaking her feet again.

“Gross, yuck.” Aloy spat as she made her way out the storage room. She needed better lighting to see what she had gotten.

Aloy made her way towards the other end of the ruins, where sunlight filtered through the opening in the earth. Aloy found a patch of ground that wasn’t too wet and sat down, placing the small container in front of her. Aloy bit her lip as she pried the container opening, her fingers hurting slightly from the pressure, but was rewarded with the top popping off. She pushed the top away, and she heard it fall down to the cave floor.

Aloy couldn’t help but gasp at what she saw. It was a small, cylindrical metal object that seemed perfectly flawless, as if it hadn’t seen the light of day since the Old Ones fell. Which was probably the case. It shined in the sunlight. Aloy held it with both hands, studying the carvings in the metal and the blue light that seemed to pulse out of its one side. Aloy activated her Focus, wonder what it could tell her.

_… Analyzing Object…_

_Object Identified: GAIA Emergency Converter Tool. Sub-level 03, Model Gamma._

“Huh, what’s a GAIA?” Aloy asked out lout.

_ERROR—_

_Unable to comply request. Please contact Division Lead [Julia H. Schwartz] for assistance._

“Okay… what’s an Emergency Converter Tool then?” Aloy asked again. This wasn’t the first time her Focus couldn’t answer her, but it was frustrating nonetheless.

_ERROR—_

_Unable to comply request. Please contact Division Lead [Julia H. Schwartz] for assistance._

“Got it, it’s a thing that you don’t know anything about.” Aloy muttered.

She then chose to look at the generic analysis then, if the Focus couldn’t tell her anything specific. After spending a few minutes, Aloy could tell that whatever this was, it generated a constant, low level electrical current internally. Almost like a Machine core, and that made sense, because it almost looked the same. There looked to be like a small port where the blue light was being generated from. So Aloy wondered if this could be plugged into a machine, but that didn’t make sense.

Aloy shook her head of those questions. What was important was that this ‘Converter Tool’ was generating electrical currents. And her mind was already running with ideas on how to make this effective in combat. For once, Aloy was truly excited to finish this build.

If Aloy could somehow use the device’s own electrical core and wire it onto the spear, maybe she could make it so that certain swings of the spear would make it stun or incapacitate Machines. It was definitely worth a shot; she just had to figure out how to do that.

Aloy left the cave, the Converter Tool tucked safely into her pack.

* * *

Two weeks later, Aloy presented her finished spear to Rost before he left on his latest hunting trip. She could see that he was surprised to find her up and waiting for him at the main gate of their hovel. And then Rost’s eyes turned to the spear that her hands were clinging too, perhaps a bit too tightly, as her knuckles were as white as fresh winter snow. Aloy was biting her bottom lip, and was refusing to make eye contact with Rost as he studied her.

Aloy was proud of her work, but she was also beyond worried that Rost would find something inherently wrong with it. Aloy had no idea what would happen if he found her finished spear unworthy. Would she fail this ceremony? Would he tell her she’s not good enough to prepare for the Proving?

Those thoughts rang through Aloy’s head as Rost gently took the spear out of her hands. Aloy watched as he weighed the spear in both hands, raising it up before bringing it down to waist level. Rost ran a finger down the sharpened spear point, which had been fashioned with the back plating of a Strider and tied down with a mixture of Machine tubing and older cloth Aloy scavenged from some of her older clothes. Rost predominantly paid attention to the Converter Tool Aloy had secured to the other end of the spear. Aloy watched Rost’s eyes follow the wires were it connected to the Converter Tool, and how it travelled up to the spear point.

“Aloy, is this your finished work?” Rost finally spoke up.

Aloy nodded her head. “Yes, Rost. I used the branch you got me.”

“Very well, let us see how it fares in battle.” Rost said.

To Aloy’s surprise, Rost handed the spear back over to her. She watched as the man opened the gate, and then motioned for her to lead. He would follow her down to the valley.

“You want _me_ to test it?” Aloy ask, astounded.

“Yes. You were the one to craft it. _You_ are the one who knows this spear, its story, the best.” Rost explained. “Show me what your spear can do, and then I can judge it fairly.”

The two Outcasts travelled down the path into the valley. Storm clouds rolled over the Embrace, darkening the sky despite it being early morning. The air felt humid, almost threatening to rain over the two in a powerful surge. The trees below were dancing in the fierce wind. As they approached the valley, Aloy could hear the rustle of the leaves against the wind.

As Aloy expected, it began to pour on them. Rost pulled Aloy under his thick furs to keep most of the heavy rain from her eyes. They walked on the main road, as it was the easiest and fasted route to where they were heading.

The sound of drums penetrated through the heavy rainfall. It was their only warning before a large brigade of Nora Tribesmen crossed a bend in the muddy road. Rost was quick to pull Aloy off to the side of the road, and the two Outcasts watched as what seemed to be hundreds of men and women trudged through the rain. Some were playing deep war drums that they carried on straps over their shoulders. Others were holding banners.

Aloy quickly whispered. “Are they going to war?”

“Hush child.” Roast was quick to snap, his hand tightening on her shoulder almost uncomfortably.

His eyes were almost panicked; he was watching the contingent as they somberly trudged past them. Aloy held her tongue, unsure of what was happening. Soon, a large shape appeared within the band, and Aloy realized that it was an open faced casket that six Braves were holding. Aloy couldn’t help herself and stood on her tip toes, trying to see what was inside.

Aloy could almost feel Rost wanting to push her back. It wouldn’t change anything, as Aloy had found a body in the casket, completely wrapped in dark blue cloth. Her mind was quick to make the connection that this was a funeral march. They were walking towards Mother’s Watch, where the High Matriarchs lived. Once the procession was gone, save for the distant somber drumbeats, Aloy turned to Rost.

“What was that all about?” Aloy asked.

Rost sighed, and it was at that point that Aloy noticed that it wasn’t rain on his face. Rost had been crying.

“A High Matriarch has passed. She will soon be one with the Goddess, forever in her loving embrace.” Rost whispered, his words almost lost to the wind and rain. “With the weather we’ve been having, I suspect she had fallen ill, and could not recover.”

“Oh.” Aloy muttered.

She didn’t know how to feel. Aloy had never had to deal with death before, she knew of it, but never experienced it. And the High Matriarchs were the ones who had casted her out at birth. So… should she feel sorry for the rest of the Nora Tribe? No, she didn’t feel like she had to. Why mourn for someone who didn’t care about her or Rost, or any other Outcast?

Aloy was angry now, in that way where you couldn’t latch out. It was a simmering anger that would sit with her for days, always in the back of her mind. Aloy frowned as she freed her shoulder from Rost’s grip and continued walking down the road, opposite of where the funeral procession was going. It took a few seconds, but then Aloy could hear Rost’s heavy footsteps behind her.

Aloy only started to calm down once they neared a Strider pasture. Aloy had turned to look at Rost, but he only motioned for Aloy to take the lead, to take down one of the Machines. He would stay back as back up, but also to cast judgment on not only her skills, but on the craftsmanship of the spear as well.

Aloy held the spear in her hands. She had taken down a few Machines with a spear before, when Rost thought it necessary to practice with his. She had only taken Watchers down, nothing as large as a Strider yet. She was much more experienced with her bow. Aloy kept close to the ground, only pausing to see where Rost was hidden. Once she spotted him climbing up onto a Brave tree platform, Aloy moved towards the long underbrush.

The rain made it hard for Aloy to keep a grip on the spear. Her hands kept trying to find a better grip, and soon Aloy felt like she was shaking from stress. That or it was from the cold rain that had soaked through her clothes. Aloy activated her Focus to help her find where the nearest Watcher was. Aloy kept the Focus on as she grew closer.

The Watcher hadn’t even noticed Aloy before Aloy attempted to pull a stealth attack similar to how Rost does it. Despite her training, she still wasn’t as graceful as Rost. However, Aloy was pleasantly surprised that the Watcher fell to her attack, lifeless as it hit the ground.

Aloy was quick to move back into the relative safety of the thick long grass. Aloy turned to where Rost was positioned, waiting to see what he would say. She was met a hand signal that Rost had used many times before.

 _Continue_.

Well, after looking through her Focus, Aloy could find no other Watchers to take down. So Rost meant to hunt one of the Striders. Okay. Okay. Aloy had never hunted a Strider like that before, as Rost has previously only had her use arrows on these Machines. But he was confident in her abilities, and so was Aloy. She could do this.

Plus, it was a perfect time to show Rost how she’s made the spear into an electrical stunner. Aloy was hoping the Converter Tool had enough power to completely take down the Strider in one hit.

Aloy waited for an opening before slowly making her way towards the heard. The ground was becoming muddy the longer this took, and the last thing Aloy needed was to trip and fall to the ground with a rampaging Strider targeting her. Aloy clung to the spear like it was a lifeline as she slowly worked her way around a Strider that was somewhat isolated from the rest of the herd.

Aloy gave the spear’s grip a little twist, and she could faintly hear the startup hum of the Converter Tool. Suddenly the spear in her hand felt charged, almost overwhelmingly powerful as she activated the electrical current. It might have been her imagination, but the spear seemed to be buzzing in her hand.

Aloy couldn’t hold her anticipation any longer and moved to strike the lone Strider. She dug the spear tip into the joint between the Strider’s rear leg and torso. Aloy felt the electrical current surge forward, and she could even see the bright sparks as the spear made contact. Bright dots danced over her vision as Aloy was temporarily blinded.

The Strider seemed to cry out in alarm. Aloy’s sight recovered just enough to see the Strider turn around to kick her. Aloy’s heart started thrumming in her ears as she jumped to the side, tucking into a roll. However, Aloy struggled to get up due to the muddy ground. Once Aloy was up on her feet, her entire left side covered in mud, the Strider had turned back to face her.

It was certainly damaged from Aloy’s first attack. Its one leg was not working, and the area Aloy had stabbed the Strider in was still sparking, the white exterior armor blackened. The other Striders were watching with yellow lights; however it seemed they had not decided whether to join the fight yet.

Aloy let out a small battle cry as she sprinted forward, ready to jam the spear back into the Strider. The Strider noticed her approach and reared back. Aloy was undaunted, and she twisted the spear’s grip again. Aloy forced the spear into the neck of the Strider, just barely avoiding the Machine’s front hooves. A second spark lit up the area, much smaller than the first, but it did the job.

The Strider was deactivated, and Aloy was left panting over the corpse, desperately trying to catch her breath. Aloy was quick to look to see if the other Striders were intent on attacking her, but with a well placed fire arrow from Rost, they were scared into fleeing. Aloy let out a small smile and looked up to the stormy sky. She had done it. If Rost wasn’t pleased with her handiwork, then Aloy would have been at a loss for words.

Aloy trudged towards Rost, who was back on the ground. Aloy was shivering from the cold rainfall, the adrenaline in the hunt finally draining from her system. If given the opportunity, Aloy would have chosen to sleep for an entire week. After she cleaned the mud and dirt off of her.

Rost was watching her approach, his expression impassive. Aloy stared up at him before finally offering the spear to him. Part of her was sad that she’d have to give it up. She spent so much time on it, put blood, sweat, and tears into making such a nice weapon. Rost took it in one hand before placing the blunt end of the Converter Tool on the ground. Rost took his own spear and did the same.

“Well?” Aloy asked, now somewhat nervous.

“… It’s a fine weapon.” Rost said. “You show a skill in understanding machines and crafting weapons… you have passed, Aloy. Congratulations.”

It felt like a weight Aloy had been carrying around for the past month finally fell off. Aloy let out a large sigh of relief and smiled again. She did not know whether it was rain clinging to her cheeks, or tears of joy. Aloy held her hand out, expecting Rost to give him his old spear.

Except, Rost didn’t hand her his spear. Rost gave Aloy back the one she crafted.

“Uh, Rost?” Aloy started, utterly confused. “Why are you..?”

“I may not have been entirely honest when I told you the criteria of the test.” Rost admitted, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. “As my own mother had done to me, and my grandmother to her. I lied to you, so you would feel pressured to do your best. But you have _still_ crafted a spear worthy for a Brave. That Brave is you, Aloy.”

“So you lied to me. But for my own good, huh.”

“Sometimes that is the case, yes. But only with the best intentions.” Rost smiled down at her. “Let’s go home. We start Brave Trails tomorrow.”


	3. Chapter 3

With the arrival of fall, Aloy felt newly reinvigorated.

The Embrace never got too warm, per se; the mountain range sheltered the Nora from most of the sun's sweltering heat. But the summer storms always brought with them rain and thick humidity, and eventually flash flooding. When fall arrived, it brought some much needed relief from the onslaught of storms. At least that was what Aloy thought.

Plus, Aloy loved the colors of the leaves down in the valley. Up here on the mountain side, Aloy could watch the whole valley seemingly change overnight from one large, dreary green blob, to a melting pot of oranges, yellows, and browns. It helped Aloy think that the Embrace wasn’t probably all that bad.

The cooler weather was a welcomed change as well. Within the next few months, snow would settle around the hovel again, and Aloy was anxiously waiting for it. The sky always somehow looked bluer in winter. And the heat from the hovel’s fire pit after a long day outside in the snow was the closest Aloy ever could get to describing what home felt like.

Aloy felt more alive during fall and winter anyways.

Rost… not so much. As he grew older, the cold did nothing for the old man’s joints. Some mornings, Rost awoke with a groan between lips. He would limp for a few minutes before massaging the sore muscles in his legs in order for them to cooperate. It was a reminder that Rost wasn’t getting any younger, and both Outcasts knew this.

Aloy had been stoking the fire pit when Rost finally joined her for their sparse breakfast. The two sat in relative, peaceful silence, for Aloy was quickly looking through the data in her Focus, and Rost seemed to be too deep in thought at the moment to strike up a conversation. This was, in all sense, a very common occurrence on an otherwise normal morning.

A few minutes passed, and then Aloy was forced out of her Focus when Rost finally spoke up.

“Winter is coming, and our food reserves are growing short again.” Rost stated as he stared into the fire. He paused as he sipped at the stew’s broth. “After you run the Brave Trails, we will go hunting today.”

“There’s good game south of the river near the marshlands. I saw a lot of turkeys there earlier this week.” Aloy stated.

Even before she was finished, Rost was shaking his head. He spoke in that tone of voice that meant there wouldn’t be room for discussing this. “No. Not there. Those are the tribe’s hunting lands.”

Unfortunately, Aloy hadn’t quite caught his tone of voice. She rolled her eyes as she stood up and moved to place her bowl away from the fire. She began shrugging on her boots before sitting down to braid her hair, her back to the warm fire. Aloy could feel Rost’s eyes on her.

“Why not? The tribe can’t catch and eat every turkey there. They wouldn’t notice if a couple go missing. And we need the meat more than they do.”

“It is not a matter of what the tribe needs. It is the punishment. If we were to be caught, Aloy, we would be judged harshly.” Rost said, his voice stern. “We are Outcasts, but there are still punishments we could suffer if they deem it necessary to enforce tribal laws. How well will you handle a bow if they cut off a hand in retaliation?”

“They wouldn’t actually do that, would they?” Aloy asked as she paused in her braiding, suddenly very frightful. She had hunted in those fields only two weeks ago.

“They have before. And if they deem it important to do so again, they will.”

"Even to a child?"

"In their eyes, Aloy, you are an Outcast first. And a child, second."

“Okay… I’m convinced. Let’s hunt somewhere else.” Aloy said as she instinctively massaged her left wrist.

“Yes, let’s.” Rost agreed. He groaned as he stood up. It took a few seconds for his footing to grow steady, but then Rost headed towards the door. “I’ll find us a spot to hunt while you practice the Brave Trails. Time to head out before the sun hangs too high, Aloy.”

“I’m coming, Rost.”

The two Outcasts were quick to find a trail to run. The Brave Trails, while fun and exhilarating, were _hard_.

They had been designed for people much older than a 10 year old, and for someone who was supposed to be done growing. According to Rost, Aloy had about another foot before she reached adulthood. But that could take anywhere from 2 to 8 years, and was entirely dependent on when her body decided to hit another growth spurt. Until then, mastering the Brave Trails would be her largest feat to tackle, and her hardest. Every other task could be taught and learned through time and patience, with quick fingers and a sharp mind. But making a jump meant for a 6 foot man as a 4 and a half foot child was almost impossible.

Aloy spent most of her time on the Brave Trails trying to maintaining a sense of balance and confidence. The jumps were the hardest part. Rost would be up on the trails ahead of her, always there for encouragement as well as a safety precaution if she fell or lost her balance. A fall from this fight could be fatal if she landed in the wrong position, and this thought was always in the back of Aloy’s mind. But Aloy never fell, only stumbled.

Still, Aloy could feel the blisters as she gripped the wood beneath her after she almost missed her latest jump. The world seemed to pull her under as she desperately gripped the wood and coiled rope of the tree platform. Aloy almost lost her breath as her legs swung precariously in the wind. Her still too large boots threatened to fall off her feet. Immediately, Aloy’s eyes went to Rost, who was kneeling above her.

Without even offering to help (knowing that she would refuse out of pride), Rost grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her to her knees. Aloy let out a grunt of frustration as she caught her breath. A quick look at the palms of her hands showed angry red skin, but thankfully no splinters.

“Almost made it that time.” Aloy grunted as she stood up.

“You’re thinking too much about the footwork. Knowing when to jump is good. But you are hesitating too much of where to step before you make the jump.” Rost provided a few pointers. “You will get better with time.”

Rost has said this since they’ve begun this past summer. He said it not even five minutes ago. It’s a phrase Aloy was getting tired of hearing on repeat.

“Can we just keep going?” Aloy asked.

Rost only nodded as an answer. He stood up, pointing towards a series of secured horizontal poles in the side of the mountain, which led up to a small outcropping, and then to a fork in the trail. One end of the trail disappeared behind a bend in the rock. Once Rost knew Aloy had seen the path he wanted her to take, he made for the first pole. Aloy watched as Rost hopped with practiced ease before making a leap of faith towards the lip of the outcropping. He landed with an audible oof, and then took a second to recollect himself. Rost picked himself up and he stood up and waved to Aloy; he was a considerable distance away from her.

Aloy did her best to study his movements. Aloy was exceptionally talented at climbing. But the poles were her least favorite part of the Brave Trails; they were too slim and they all shuddered from the sudden weight placed on them. Aloy sucked in a breath of anticipation as she backed towards the furthest corner of the tree platform. Aloy did her best to build up enough speed as she sprinted towards the other end, where she sprung towards the first pole.

Aloy was slightly surprised when she made the jump, landing perfectly center on the first pole. Feeling a bit more confident, Aloy tried her best to keep her momentum. She jumped again, ready to land on the second pole.

She did not land this one. Instead, she undershot it. Her shins made contact against the side of the pole, forcing her to tumble over it. Panic caused Aloy to cry out more than the pain did. Aloy reached out to grab the pole, but her fingertips only managed to brush against the coiled rope that secured the pole into the mountainside. As Aloy found the pole growing further away from her, real fear shook her frame.

“ _Aloy!_ ” Rost shouted, his voice sounding very far away.

Aloy landed, _hard_. The wind was knocked out of her, and she was struggling to breathe. Aloy stared up at the sky, the mountain in her peripheral dancing around her vision. Aloy’s brain was rattling inside her skull. Panic made it hard for her to catch her breath; all she could do was grasp at the long grass she landed on in an attempt to stop the world from spinning around her.

Her ears were ringing. And that was all she could hear; she couldn't even hear her own panicked grasps.

Aloy could do nothing but wait as her breath slowly returned to her. She did not know how much time passed before she felt like her body wouldn’t betray her. Aloy slowly sat up, the world still tilted and spinning for her. Her stomach grew queasy, but Aloy fought against the need to expel its contents. Aloy groaned as she forced herself to stand, stumbling as she did so.

Aloy turned to see where Rost had been waiting for her, only to see his figure hastily climbing down the mountainside. Aloy grabbed at her head, feeling for her Focus, as she made her way towards him. Once Rost was by her side, he grasped at her shoulders as he knelt by her. Aloy watched as Rost looked over her, trying to assess the damage. He looked frightened.

“Did you break anything, Aloy?” Rost asked.

Aloy shook her head, and then promptly stopped when the world began spinning again. Aloy brought a hand up through her hair and found a forming bump, and her shins were going to be covered in purple and blue splotches for the next couple weeks, but that was all.

“I’m okay, just a little knocked around.” Aloy answered.

 “That is good to hear.” Rost let out a small sight of relief, pausing as if he was in thought. “You scared me half to death… perhaps it was too early to start you on the Brave Trails.”

A panicked shiver travelled up Aloy’s spine.

“What?! Rost no, I can do this!” Aloy cried out, tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes. His words had her angry at him for thinking she was still too young, and at herself for not being good enough to prove him wrong. “I _need_ to do this!”

“Please Aloy, calm yourself. You are still too small. Perhaps next spring you will have gained enough inches to continue your training. Until then, we’ll focus on hunting Machines.” Rost said.

“Rost, _please_.”

“I’ve made my decision Aloy. A fall like that could have seriously hurt you.” Rost said, voice steady but with enough hurt anger to make Aloy falter in her forming retort. “That is enough training for today. Head back up to the hovel and rest your head; I will hunt for food for the remainder of today.”

Aloy frowned in irritation, but obeyed. She made a point of stomping her way back towards the mountain trail. She knew she was acting childishly, only proving Rost’s point further, but at that moment in time she did not care.

* * *

Aloy knew that Rost had probably wanted her to rest, but Aloy couldn’t find it in herself to lay down when it was only midday. The hovel would feel too much like a prison. Instead, Aloy did what she always did when she had pent up frustrations: she took it out on the Grazer dummies outside.

The feeling of the bow taught in her arms was enough to keep her irritation at bay for the moment. And when her first arrow struck the Grazer in the target, Aloy felt some sense of satisfaction rise. Her aim was still off, but that was more due to the head injury, or at least that’s what her Focus told her. Even her Focus was telling her to rest, but Aloy just ignored the repeated notifications.

Aloy pulled another arrow from her quiver and prepared it, this time aiming a few degrees towards the left. As Aloy released the taught wire, the arrow struck within the center of the target, and Aloy let out a small whoop of joy.

“Yes! Take that, Grazer!” Aloy muttered to herself.

Aloy fired half a dozen more arrows, each a mix of varying success, before setting her bow down. She quickly collected the salvageable arrows from the Grazer dummy and then sat down on the ground. She leaned against the side of the hovel, toying with the bow’s corded wire between her fingers. Aloy was a good hunter, she knew this already, and she was only 10. By the time the Proving came along, Aloy knew she’d be a master hunter. One of the best the Nora had ever seen. One they’d be jealous of.

But she needed to prove herself with the Brave Trails. And Rost had said she was ready; no injury was going to keep her down. And every day Aloy didn’t spend practicing and preparing for the Proving, there was a kid her age in one of the Nora villages getting better than her. Aloy wouldn’t allow for that to happen. She needed to win the Proving, more than anyone else in the Embrace.

Aloy let out another tight groan of frustration before bringing the palms of her hands against her forehead and eyelids, putting enough pressure to form spots in her vision. She was so fidgety; she felt like she was being punished by being confined at the hovel. Aloy wasn’t even that hurt, Rost should have let her keep practicing. He knew how much this meant to her.

Well, maybe she didn’t need Rost’s supervision to continue her training…

Rost trusted her enough to hunt Machine parts by herself now. And to hunt for game when food was getting low. So why wouldn’t he trust Aloy with running the Brave Trails? Aloy could do this; she just had to be very careful that she didn’t fall again. And to be careful Rost didn’t catch her disobeying him. She had no desire to sit through one of his lectures again.

With that in mind, Aloy gathered her weapons and trudged towards the gate. Aloy opened the gate just enough to squeeze by before closing it behind her, and then she ran down the mountain path at full speed.

Aloy spoke to herself as she huffed her way back down into the valley. “It’ll just be a couple of hours, that’s it. Rost won’t even notice I left.”

Aloy quickly found the nearest Brave Trail that she and Rost had been running only hours ago. However, Aloy was disheartened to see 5 young men and women that were currently using it for practice themselves. They all clearly belonged to the tribe. Aloy could tell because all of them bore facial markings that denoted different prominent families or esteemed apprenticeships. Aloy clung to the relative safety of the forest shadows, not wanting to run into the tribesmen. They were loud and boisterous, and from what Aloy could make out they were also practicing for the Proving that was set to commence later this month. Aloy would have to find somewhere else.

Aloy wandered through the Embrace quickly, keeping a steady eye out for any Machines or Nora that she would rather avoid. Aloy also wanted to avoid running into Rost, and risk getting a sterner lecture from the man.

Aloy activated her Focus, knowing that it would help her find a series of Brave Trails. As she walked through the forest, she kept her eyes trained on the tree canopies and mountain cliffs, anywhere that would be good for practicing.

It didn’t take her long. It was maybe by pure luck that Aloy found an unoccupied Brave Trail by the river and a small waterfall that fed into it. It started from the nearby cliff side before transitioning to a pair of tree platforms. It then led to a zip line towards the far end of the waterfall, and onto a series of vertical poles impacted into the ground below. It eventually ended into a small path on the sheer mountain cliff, just barely large enough for an adult to run on.

Aloy focused on memorizing the Brave Trail for a second, and she watched as her Focus started gathering data.

_… Analyzing structure… please wait…_

_Analysis complete._

_Caution: speculated route requires high levels of strength and dexterity. Structure integrity at 47%. Noticeable signs of deterioration due to high levels of humidity and fluctuating temperatures. Suggest taking alternate route as a safety precaution._

“I think it can take my weight. I’m half the size of an adult.” Aloy muttered to herself.

Her Focus didn’t recognize a command, and so it entered sleep mode. Aloy didn’t care because she had already made up her mind. Aloy made sure that her weapons were carefully secure in their straps before she made her way towards the mountain cliff. It took little effort for Aloy to climb up the cliff, as the best rocky holds were still dyed from the last time the Brave Trail was used.

Aloy was up on the tree platform in no time, as this jump distance was much shorter than the one earlier this morning. However, when she jumped on the platform, it groaned under her wait. The wood shifted from the force, and ultimately it grew uneven and slanted. Aloy almost lost her balance, but she grabbed the trunk of the tree for support as she waited for the platform to settle. Once Aloy was sure that the platform wouldn’t completely fail under her, Aloy prepared for the next jump.

The second platform also groaned as well, but this time Aloy didn’t hesitate. She just kept moving. Aloy was quick to grab the little device Rost had given to her off her belt. Rost had explained that it was used to slide down zip lines. He had given it to her when they first started training on the Brave Trails, but she had only used it successfully twice since then. Hopefully this would be the third.

“Come on, Aloy. Prove Rost wrong.” Aloy said through gritted teeth. And then she jumped.

There was a rush of adrenaline as the hook device latched onto the zip line effortlessly. The momentum of her jump sent Aloy racing down the thick yellow cord. She was swinging side to side for a brief moment before her body evened out. Aloy couldn’t help but smile from the wind rushing through her hair; she felt like she was flying. That moment lasted only for a second, as she reached the cliff of the mountain. Aloy only had a second to react before she collided into the cold rock surface, but she dropped just in time to land on one of the poles.

And then, the pole she landed on let out a sickening crack.

The smile on Aloy’s face disappeared in an instant. Her balance was thrown off as the pole snapped in half below her. Her stomach dropped with fear as her hands grasped at thin air, unable to find anything to stop her fall. She and the top half of the pole fell down towards the craggy, rocky ground below. There would be no soft grass to cushion her fall this time.

The world around Aloy went dark.

* * *

When Aloy awoke, the sun was already setting behind the mountains. The area was bathed in darker, cooler light, and Aloy could just barely see steam form from her breath. The Embrace’s night chill was already settling in Aloy’s bones. Aloy felt stiff, but after a few checks she was relieved to find that the fall hadn’t broken anything. Or at least she hoped not. One of her ankles was clearly swollen, and there were deep scratches in her right arm and on the right side of her face. Scabs were already formed over the scratches.

It took a lot of effort for Aloy to stand up. She was definitely favoring her left leg, and she could only limp a few feet before having to stop. Aloy was in so much pain. Tears were streaming down her face as she poked at her swollen ankle. Aloy really hoped nothing was broken. With an injury like that, that would end all thought of running in the Proving. If it wasn't tended to properly, Aloy would be walking with a limp for the remainder of her life. A death sentence for an Outcast.

Aloy took this time to look around her surroundings. There was nothing here save for the fallen over pole and the nearby river. The forest around Aloy sounded too quiet. Something in her gut told Aloy that wasn’t safe. When Aloy quickly activated her Focus, she discovered why. Through the foliage was the form of a Watcher, which was shepherding 4 Striders to the nearby field. The Machines would have to march through the opening Aloy was stranded on before they reached their destination.

Aloy panicked as she scrambled to hide herself in the nearby shrubs. It wasn’t the long grass she was accustomed to, and the thorns of the thick bushes dug into her exposed arms and face. Aloy went as far into the bush as she could before forcing herself to remain completely still. This wouldn’t work if the Watcher noticed the bush shaking. Aloy brought one hand up and over her mouth, her eyes wide when she heard the Watcher’s mechanical joints as it approached.

The Watcher had pushed through the foliage only a few feet away from Aloy. The disturbed bush rustled against Aloy, sending terrified shivers down her spine. The Machine was far closer than what she would have liked, and she feared that the Machine would notice her just by sensing her body heat alone. Aloy could clearly hear its inner mechanisms running, and she froze when the Machine paused to scope out the path ahead of it.

The Striders behind it took that moment to graze some of the grass below. Both types of Machines were completely oblivious to the human right under their sensors. Aloy watched the Watcher, painstakingly waiting for the Machine to finish inspecting the surroundings. It was getting difficult staying in this position; her swollen ankle was threatening to give under to her weight. Any movement would alert all five Machines to her position.

Aloy was on the verge of weeping, and she was biting part of her hand to keep her from crying out in pain. She almost collapsed when the Watcher finally deemed the area safe enough to move forward. The Watcher stepped forward, and Aloy finally thought she was in the clear.

That all changed when a Strider barreled through the bushes, right into her vulnerable form. The Strider let out a surprised cry when Aloy’s ankle finally gave out, sending her crashing to the ground. Aloy screamed in the pain, grabbing at the bad ankle as she whipped her head around, trying to find if the Machines were about to trample her in retaliation.

How long would it take for Rost to find her body, Aloy briefly wondered.

The Striders were all startled, seemingly locked into place. But the Watcher was clearly intent on attacking Aloy’s prone form. Aloy could see the blaring red light of the Watcher’s lens barreling towards her, and she somehow managed to summon enough energy to roll out of the way. Aloy felt the vibration of the earth below her as the Watcher crashed back into the ground. The Watcher bounced as it turned to face her again. It let out a very angry sounding series of electronic ticks.

Aloy scrambled away from the Machine, crawling on her hands and knees as she fought against the pain. Aloy knew she had to put as much distance between her and the Watcher. She only managed to crawl a small distance before the Machine was upon her again. It crashed into her side, the harsh contact causing Aloy to collapse from the weight. As the Watcher picked itself up again, Aloy fought against the pain to sit upright and to stand on one knee, pulling the spear off of her back. With her busted ankle, Aloy knew escape wasn’t an option. But fighting like this didn’t seem like one either.

With a twist of the spear’s grip, Aloy felt the surge of power from the electrical current. Aloy held the spear in both hands as the Watcher barreled towards her. She didn’t dare move, or else she’d risk losing the shot. 

Right as the Watcher was upon her, Aloy lunged forward, swinging the spear into the neck of the Watcher. Sparks flew from the contact, and the Watcher physically recoiled from the contact. Aloy watched as the Watcher’s joints between its head and neck continued to spark long after she pulled the spear free. The Watcher stumbled from the hit, walking as if the world had suddenly gone slanted for it.

Aloy was quick to pull herself up to her feet. Her ankle still sent shards of pain up along her leg, but she bit down on her bottom lip to keep from screaming. Aloy used the spear as a crutch, trying again to create some distance from the Machine. With a quick look behind her, Aloy could see that the Machine was still struggling to stand straight. Everyone once and a while, a spark would set off, and the Watcher would shudder in response.

Eventually the Machine spotted Aloy’s retreating form. It seemed intent on fighting her to the very end. The Watcher stumbled towards her, slowly gaining momentum to barrel into her again. Aloy stared into that glowing red light that approached her. There was no way her spear had recharged from the initial attack.

In an act of pure instinct to survive, Aloy raised the blunt end of her spear to club the Watcher.

However, as soon as the Converter Tool made contact with the Watcher, Aloy was surprised to find her Focus activating on its own volition. Aloy felt the spear magnetically pull towards the Watcher, and as it did so, the Watcher seemed to freeze in place. Its red light flickered a few times before switching to blue and then shutting off completely. Instinctively, Aloy tried to pull her spear free with a deft tug, but found that it wouldn’t budge.

Notifications from her Focus were flashing before Aloy’s eyes, moving far too fast for her to catch what they said. Those that lasted long enough were glitched; the Old Ones’ writing was almost completely undecipherable. What Aloy could read didn’t make any sense.

_—Emergency Converter Tool Activated._

_Processing… Sub-level 03, Model Gamma detected: Request Approved._

_Booting up connection link. Standby… 09%… 23%… 51%… 100%_

_Secure connection established. Transferring temporary admin control to onsite technician [Victor K. Gibbons]. Psi Class Reconnaissance Unit AE-14F under immediate control for 999̷̝̉9̶̰̑9̴̭́9̵_ _͒_ _̬—_

_—ERROR 9̸̿̉̏̕_ _͎͊_ _̳̤_ _͇_ _̪9̸̆_ _͘_ _̢̜̮̥̠̽̾̉9̷̽̄̈̀̈́_ _͕_ _̼_ _͙͎_ _̲9̵̈́̌̾̑_ _͒_ _̟̘_ _͖_ _̻̞9̸̊_ _͋͠_ _̮̯̺̊̔_ _͕_ _̝9̸̈́̏̀_ _͕͑͋_ _̮_ _͉_ _̝_ _͜_ _̸̇_ _͐_ _̒_

_—Ĕ̵_ _͗_ _́_ _͙͈_ _̫̻̰̯R̷_ _͝_ _̉̒̓̏̒_ _͑_ _̚_ _͐_ _̡̡̪̱̜̟̈́R̶̻̿̀̆_ _͉͖_ _̳_ _͖_ _O̷_ _͛͒͘͝_ _̚_ _͎_ _̺̳̥̦̦_ _͚_ _̰ **̼̗̼**_ **_͚_ ** **_̭Ŗ̶̹̌̎̋̚Ȓ̷̈́̃̈́_ ** **_͂_ ** **_̈́̚_ ** **_͋_ ** **_̢̹̮ ̵̅_ ** **_͐͐͋_ ** **_̙̰̳̈́̑_ ** **_͔͖͚_ ** **_̧̠̺̫̥̰̲̻R̵_ ** **_͘_ ** **_̼̩̖̭̣̥̆̎̔̏̊̄̉̆̕ͅ_ ** **_͈_ ** **_̱̱_ ** **_͈͖_ ** **_R̷̂̊̌̍_ ** **_͔_ ** **_̮R̸_ ** **_͋_ ** **_̋̇_ ** **_͒_ ** **_̍_ ** **_͘_ ** **_̒_ ** **_͌_ ** **_̔_ ** **_̓͘_ ** **_̥̱̺̞̗̎̋_ ** _̭̖̪̲̤_ _͇_ _̢̳̮_

_—hours._

_Note from Division Supervisor [Julia H. Shwartz]: Reminder to staff to shut down all machinery after use. We only have limited power, and every second counts. All non-approved uses of power should be brought to my attention, effective immediately._

A few more corrupted notifications popped up, and then the Focus finally fell silent. The connection between Aloy’s spear and the Watcher finally dropped, and Aloy cautiously pulled the spear away from the Watcher. Aloy kept her eyes on the Machine, half expecting it to jump at her again, but also curious to see what her Focus did to it.

The Watcher remained motionless for a few seconds longer before it shuddered back to life. The blue light flickered again just once before finally permanently settling. The Watcher turned its lens to face Aloy, and she flinched away slightly out of instinct. Aloy stood there for a long moment, waiting to see what the Watcher would do. When it did nothing, Aloy waved a tentative hand in front of the Watcher’s lens, moving it side to side. She was surprised to see the Watcher track the movement, but nothing more.

This was so surreal.

When Aloy realized the Watcher didn’t have any intention of attacking her, she finally let her guard down.

Still, Aloy didn’t feel this comfortable being this close to a Machine. Aloy quickly looked around, searching for the abandoned Striders, and was relieved to find that they had disappeared, fleeing at the first sign of danger. As long as the Watcher continued to not attack her, she would be fine with making her way back to the hovel. Although, her chances that Rost had not made it home yet was slim… not to mention her chances of hiding her injury from him. Rost would be keeping an ever watchful eye on her for weeks now... ugh.

Aloy slowly started moving forward, using her spear as a crutch again. She had only taken a couple steps before she heard the Watcher following her. Aloy turned around, eyeing it, completely confused. It paused as well. Aloy kept her eyes on it as she took a couple more steps, only to see that yes, the Watcher was indeed following her.

“Why are you following me?” Aloy asked it.

But of course, the Watcher didn’t answer her. If anything, it only answered her with another spark that sent the Machine shuddering. Aloy brought her hand towards her eyes to shield them from the spark of light. Confused with what she saw, Aloy activated her Focus, hoping that it would tell her why this Machine was not acting like it should.

In the Focus’s display, Aloy instantly noticed a fundamental difference as she stared at the Machine. Most times, Aloy’s Focus highlights Machines in yellow, especially near their weaknesses. Rost was always highlighted in blue, as well as any passing tribesmen Aloy came across. But now, the Watcher in front of her was also marked in bright blue. Above it, a small notification box labeled it: _Friendly Machine_.

“Huh.” Aloy muttered under her breath. “So you’re my friend now?”

_AE-14F: Affirmative. Friendly admin recognized._

No sound was made, but through the bottom left corner of Aloy’s eyes, a small window opened up. Text appeared as a soft note was intoned. Aloy gasped as she jumped in surprise. Aloy quickly turned off her Focus, and the text disappeared, only to reappear when she turned it back on. Aloy read the text a couple times before turning her attention back to the Watcher.

“Wait, you can talk to me now?” Aloy hesitantly asked it. “And I can understand you?”

_AE-14F: Affirmative._ _Admin User [Victor K. Gibbons] requested control of Unit AE-14F._

“Wow… but I’m not Victor K. Gibbons. That isn’t me.”

The Watcher took a moment to reply. It sparked before answering her.

_AE-14F: Admin requesting change of username. Confirm: Y/N._

“I don’t know what you’re asking.”

_Admin requesting change of username. Confirm: Y/N._

“Uh… okay. Yes?”

In front of Aloy appeared a holograph interface, completed with a keyboard. When Aloy had first found her Focus, she had toyed with it. That was before she knew what it was. Aloy studied the keyboard for a few seconds before typing her name in the Old Ones’ language. The keyboard closed after Aloy entered it in, and then she turned expectantly towards the waiting Watcher.

The Watcher sparked again.

_AE-14F: Change username request received. Username [Aloy] will now be used for this profile. You have [2] remaining username request tokens in your account. Confirm: Y/N._

Aloy could understand that. “Yes.”

Another awkward moment passed. The pain in Aloy’s swollen ankle was growing rather unbearable. She shifted the weight slightly, but still sucked in a breath of pain. She knew she had to get off of her feet before she did even more damage to it. Aloy turned to the Watcher, who was still staring at her. It was a little bit unsettling. And then Aloy got an idea.

“Hey… umm… can I ride you?” Aloy tentatively asked the Machine.

The Machine didn’t respond immediately. The Watcher seemed to wait a moment to ponder the command before sluggishly walking towards Aloy. Due to the damage Aloy had done to it, its footwork was not steady. It sparked again, but otherwise lowered its body to the ground. Aloy stared at the Machine in amazement before she gripped at one of its armored segments and slowly climbed up on it.

As the Machine returned to its normal stature, Aloy gasped and held on in fear of falling off. Once Aloy was sure she had found a secured seat, Aloy absentmindedly patted the Watcher on its side. Her Focus activated as she brought her hand close to her ear, and Aloy searched for a route back to the hovel.

“Okay… It's probably a smart idea to stay off the main road. Let’s go… that way.” Aloy said as she pointed a hand towards the nearby woods. Her Focus tracked the motion, and then seconds later the Watcher started walking in that direction.

* * *

The Watcher stumbled through the brush, threatening to accidentally throw Aloy off again for the 7th time. It did not slow in its pace.

“Sorry about that. I guess this is kinda my fault.” Aloy whispered to the Machine as she slowly sunk down against its frame, hugging it around the neck area. “I know a bit about Machine parts. Maybe I can try to patch you up when we get back home.”

When she received no reply, Aloy continued.

“Hey, do you have access to your schematics? That would make repairing you a lot easier.”

_AE-14F: One moment… accessing internal databanks…_

Aloy’s vision was bombarded with notes from her Focus. Almost all were detailing the inner mechanisms of the Watcher. It showed parts easily repairable, as well as parts that would require shutting the Machine off to reach. Next to appear was a series of step by step instructions.

“Woah, this is so cool.”

* * *

“Do you have a name? Or are you just called Unit AE-14F?”

_This Unit has not been designated a name. Would you like to register one in this Unit’s files? Y/N._

The Watcher sparked again.

“Yeah. I think I’ll call you Sparks.”

* * *

It was almost completely dark by the time Aloy and Sparks reached the steep mountain path that lead to the hovel. The sky above was clouded with dark clouds that covered the moon above. The clouds threatened early snowfall, and wind was tugging at Aloy’s messy hair. The only light that was shining was from Spark’s flashlight, which was revealing the path ahead.

It was getting almost too cold for Aloy, and she had caught herself shivering twice on the way up the mountain. Aloy tugged at her furs as much as she could, but she knew the best way to get the cold out of the bones was to sleep by the fire tonight. Aloy just hoped she wouldn’t catch an illness from being out in the cold for too long. Rost would be fretting over her just from her injury alone. But if she also got sick, Aloy wouldn’t—

“Oh no! I forgot about Rost!” Aloy gasped, jumping up from her slumped position. “Stop for a second, Sparks. We’ve got to find a place to hide you from Rost.”

Sparks did as it was told. The Machine waited patiently as Aloy quickly ran through options in her head. Anything too close to the hovel and Rost would find Sparks by the end of the night. Anywhere close to the paths, by tomorrow morning. Aloy would have to hide it somewhere not even Rost would go, but that didn’t leave a lot of option.

Aloy carefully slid down Sparks, trying her best to land only on her good foot. Aloy leaned against her spear before turning back towards Sparks. She walked towards its eye and faced it.

“Come on, follow me. I think I know of a place where you can hide tonight.” Aloy said.

Sparks stayed close to Aloy as they walked back down the mountain path. It was still difficult for Aloy to walk on her swollen ankle, but just riding on Spark on the journey here had given her just enough relief to ignore most of the pain. Aloy still found that she was leaning into Sparks for extra support. Travelling back up the mountain without the Machine was going to be a lot more difficult.

Aloy was too deep in thought to notice the approaching figure. However, Sparks had seen them. Aloy was startled from her thoughts as Sparks’ light changed from blue to yellow. Sparks let out a series of tones as a warning before stamping around. Aloy was sent to the ground as Sparks accidentally hit her with its tail. Aloy sat up just in time to see Sparks light change to red, and then she saw Rost barely 10 feet in front of them, standing in his war stance in the Machine's red light.

“Aloy! Stay where you are! Get down!” Rost shouted in a tone that was just as panicked as it was angry.

Rost was running towards her, and she was only able to see his frightened expression in the red highlights from Sparks. Rost looked torn between attacking the Watcher or ignoring it to help her up. Rost was quick to make his decision, however, and leaped towards Sparks, his spear already poised to smash its lens.

Aloy couldn’t even cry out to stop Rost before Sparks was destroyed beyond repair. The Watcher fell to the ground, letting out a horrible noise as its inner mechanisms slowly whirred to a stop.

_Sparks: ERROR— hostile forces are attacking this Unit—_

_Sparks: ERROR—SEVERE DAMAGE TO FRON̴̯̐T̴̂_ _͙._ _A̸̤͐͌̔̈̈͆̓X̸̳͇͉̗̗͍̯͓͕̪̄̔͠I̴̟͎̬͆̑̓͛̕͜S̶̨̜̘̬̟̯̭̙̫̠̻̣̄̓̐̐͌̐̾̏̇̕͝.̸̳͕͖͎̯̝̤̑͆̍̇́͜͜͝.̵̨̛̗̬̬͔͓ạ̸̢͚̜̏͋̒̿̅̾̆̄̄̉̕͝a̶̡̢̜͈͙̩̬͎̫̬̦͒͌̀̋̒̉͆͌̕ͅA̶̡̨̛̬̼̤̱̘̞̲̠͉̐̇̉̊̐͑͑͛̋͜͝ **A̴͎̘̘͋̓̓̀͋̕͘͝A̸̭̋̂A̷̬̹̻̫̜̪̖̲̐͗̽Ä̸̧̳̱̻̳̪̫͑̒̃͗̆̽̈́̋͘A̷̟̠͗̉͐͆̎̉͛̚A̸͈̤͍̯̪̻̓́͗̒̃͘͝ͅȦ̶̢̛͈̞̣͚̣̋̓̆̚͠**_

“No!” Aloy shouted in disbelief.

She could feel tears starting to stream down her face. And she couldn't stop them.

Rost was quick to bend down to Aloy’s side. His hands felt rough as he looked over her, checking for injuries. Rost was quick to determine almost no signs of physical trauma, and he let in a sigh of relief. Rost took the sobbing child in his arms and hugged her tight.

He had been worried sick for Aloy. When he had returned to the hovel before sunset, Rost had expected Aloy to be there waiting for him. But he had found the hovel empty, the fire pit cold since their morning meal. Rost had feared the worst, and returned to the valley to search for the missing child. What he hadn’t expected was for Aloy to have been so close to the hovel, right next to a Watcher without her weapons drawn. Rost had acted on instinct, saving her from the Machine.

Rost was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Aloy pushing against his embrace. Rost was surprised to find Aloy practically screaming at him as she tried to escape his hold. Once Rost finally loosened his hold, he watched as Aloy turned her attention to the Watcher. She was mumbling through her sobs, but Rost could discern she was mourning the Machine.

That thought sent a shiver down his spine.


	4. Chapter 4

Aloy was confined to bed rest for the meantime, until Rost deemed her fit and able to walk again. She was not to step one foot outside of the hovel without Rost by her side. Even in the safety of the hovel and their gated walls outside, Rost remained within earshot of the child. What resulted was a restless and grumpy Aloy. A girl with that much energy felt like she was being caged, especially so when she could walk again without feeling pain. But Rost paid no attention to her complaints.

Because his mind was elsewhere.

That horrible night had been three days ago. The two Outcasts had not spoken about it. Rost, for he was terrified for what this meant. Aloy, for she had no desire to receive a punishment. So for now, the two were at a standstill, both unable and unwilling to tread on this dangerous topic.

Rost has gotten through these past few days with little to no sleep. And it was beginning to take its toll on the man. He spoke little to Aloy, perhaps being a little cold to the child. Rost couldn’t even look at Aloy before averting his gaze as a dulled sense of panic seeped into his old bones. When Rost closed his eyes, all he could see was Aloy crying over the form of the destroyed Watcher.

The High Matriarchs had been terrified of this.

All those years ago, when the tribe’s most veteran Braves silently escorted Rost to Mother’s Watch, he had known that he was needed for something crucial. Why else would the High Matriarchs turn to the aid of an Outcast? And then to be offered a week old babe of all things…

Before Rost had accepted Aloy as his ward, the High Matriarchs had told Rost of her true parentage. He had accepted the condition to never tell her, nor to another living soul. Even if he could, Rost would not do that to the child, for it wasn’t her fault for being born. It wasn’t her fault that she was a crime against nature.

How do you tell a child she is the daughter of the Goddess? And not just the Goddess, but her father is all that is wrong and evil in this world? That her father is the Metal Devil? While Aloy had the bearings of a normal little girl, she was the daughter of two powerful deities. She was not quite human herself, and cursed because of what flowed through her veins. There was power deep within her, something Rost and the Nora would never understand. Something both equal parts pure divinity and the Machine’s wicked magic, and that is what terrified the High Matriarchs.

Aloy had the power to change the world as they knew it. But to maintain the peace and balance the Goddess created, the Matriarch’s decreed she were to remain ignorant.

Rost let out a tired sigh as he rubbed his face with both hands. He then looked over towards Aloy, who after a restless couple hours tossing and turning had finally fallen asleep. It was early morning; the sun still had hours before it was set to rise. Rost should not be up this early, but sleep still evaded him like a fox hiding within its den. He could not sleep with these dark thoughts that clouded his mind.

Rost did not have the heart to tell Aloy that even if she succeeded in the Proving, the High Matriarchs might outright refuse her boon. The best Rost could hope for would be that through Aloy’s Brave training, he leads the girl towards her Mother’s light. She could live a somewhat normal life safe within the tribe. But to ensure this was the outcome, Rost had to destroy any hold her Father has over her, and the temptation of the vile Machines.

But it was clear this was no longer the case. Her Father had already captured her interest.

Through that night’s horrible series of events it became clear to Rost that Aloy’s Focus, that little plaything she found deep within the earth, was a gift from her Father. Rost should have destroyed it as soon as he discovered it. Through these past few days, Rost found himself wondering in his thoughts: how long had she gone behind his back, following in her Father’s ways and making friends with Machines? Not long, he was sure, but long enough. Long enough to delve into Black Magic.

Rost forced himself up from his furs. He slowly made his way towards Aloy until he was standing above her. He watched the young girl as she slept. Even through the dark of night, Rost could see Aloy’s Focus through her flaming red hair. Rost was sure that was her Father’s connection to her, and that it was always whispering dark temptations in her ear; Rost just needed to sever that connection. It would be so easy to take the thing and smash it to pieces in Aloy’s sleep.

But Rost found that he could not do that. If he were to, he would lose Aloy completely. Her trust, her love, everything that Rost held dear.

And so he was in a very perilous predicament. Save Aloy from her Father’s hold on her, but destroying the bond the two shared. Or allow her stay on this path of destruction, keep silent and go against the wishes of the High Matriarchs, while also encouraging the wrath of All Mother. Neither option was what Rost wanted.

But there was a third option. Rost had been ruminating on it for the better part of these days. It was selfish, and the consequences of it were completely unknown. But if Rost wanted to keep Aloy while ultimately saving her soul, this was the only option.

In order to keep the Nora safe, they would have to leave the Embrace. They would need to find refuge in the untamed wilds of the Sacred Lands. Rost would have to put as much distance between them and the Nora villages. From there, Rost would do his best to help guide Aloy on the right path, dissuading her from speaking to the Machines and using her dark magic.

And if he could not do so by the time Aloy came of age… then he would destroy her Focus. She would be forced to run in the Proving and join the Nora, and Rost would disappear from her life completely, cowardly avoiding her anger and hatred. Rost could save her soul while still having these next few years to cherish before losing her forever.

By the time the sun had finally risen over the eastern peaks, Rost had made his decision.

When Aloy awoke, it was to the sound of Rost packing. She slowly climbed out of her furs, curious to see why Rost was packing. She made no move to air her questions, but Rost could feel her eyes on him. Rost only paused to look at her, and he allowed himself to regret his selfish choice for one moment before returning to his work.

“Aloy. Can you walk normally again?” Rost grunted.

She was quiet for a moment. “… Yes, Rost.”

“Good. Pack all that you can carry. We are leaving this place.”

“Uh… for how long, Rost? For a hunting trip? You’ve already gone hunting this week. We should be good for the next couple weeks.”

“We are leaving forever, Aloy. It is no longer safe for us here.” Rost explained as tersely as he could.

He waited, ready to hear her response. When he received none, Rost frowned in self-hatred. There was no doubt in his mind that Aloy, who was too smart for her own good, was already connecting the dots. She would be blaming herself, Rost knew this. But there was no time to explain himself, and Rost secretly hoped he would never have to.

Rost let out a small sigh before he continued. “Now pack. We must be ready to leave under the safety of darkness tonight.”

And once the sun had finally set, the two Outcasts left, carrying everything of importance on their backs. But they couldn’t carry everything, and they were forced to leave a lot behind. Rost hadn’t even bothered closing the door behind them, and it was then that Aloy understood the severity of Rost’s decision. They weren’t returning to the hovel for the foreseeable future. Possibly never.

The Embrace was eerie that night. The stars and moon were covered in dark clouds that seemed intent of staying in place, hovering above the valley. The normal breeze that breathed life into the Embrace was strangely absent. It seemed no living soul was awake save for the two of them. Rost held Aloy’s hand tightly, almost to ensure that she wouldn’t leave his side. And even when his hold started to hurt, Aloy kept this to herself, afraid of what would happen if she dared break the unsteady silence.

When the two Outcasts finally reached the gates of the Embrace, Rost paused. There were a couple veteran Braves patrolling the gate, and they tensed up when they saw the two approaching Outcasts. Aloy watched as Rost stared down the Braves, and eventually one of the men submitted. Soon the gate was opened, and then Rost and Aloy were out of the Embrace. When the gate was closed behind them, Aloy released a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. But it did not grant her relief.

Aloy had never seen what was out here; it was terrifying to say the least. And with the dark of night, she wouldn’t see it until after they had stopped to rest.

Rost lead them off of the beaten road and down into the wilds before them. They did not stop even as the sky grew ever lighter in shades of purples and pinks. When Rost had noticed Aloy stumbling in her steps, the exhaustion from their flight finally catching up to the young child, Rost reluctantly slowed down for her.

Rost only stated, “We need to find a safe place, and then we can rest.”

It was only when Rost found a secluded glade that they stopped. They were surrounded by the thick forest behind them and were shielded by the wind from the eastern mountains’ foothills. Aloy was thoroughly exhausted, but Rost had remained alert out of sheer stubbornness.

“This will make a suitable spot for the moment.” Rost announced, breaking the silence that had surrounded them during the entirety of their journey. “Rest for as long as you can, Aloy. We need to build shelter before first snowfall.”

* * *

This past winter had been a tough one. Food was scare, as Aloy and Rost had spent the remainder of autumn building a small shelter. It was smaller than their previous hovel, built in a small opening on the foothills of the eastern peaks. They were surrounded in the same thick forest of that long night when they left the Embrace. They were far away from any Nora village, and Rost had assured Aloy that very few Braves came this way. To the north lay the remains of the Old Ones’ great structures, Devil’s Thirst, which was most likely the cause for why the tribesmen did not hunt in these woods. Without the foliage and leaves of warmer seasons, Aloy could see the top of the rusted remains though bare branches. The color of rust against the snow clad landscape reminded Aloy of old blood spilt from game.

She was forbidden from going there, despite her morbid curiosity of the place. Rost had made that very clear, as well as the punishment he would invoke if she broke this rule. It was an evil place, where the sins of the Old Ones and their Machines fester in the very ground surrounding the abandoned city. To even step foot there would tarnish your soul and forbade you from joining All Mother in death. Or at least that was what Rost said.

And like any _True Nora_ , Aloy ought to stay away to keep her spirit pure.

But sometimes, during the quiet of the winter night, when Rost snored through a heavy sleep, Aloy would leave the warmth of the hovel and climb onto the snow covered roof. She would sit there and stare at the ruins in the starlight. Aloy was mesmerized at the sight of the rusted city. She could only imagine how it must have looked before, when the Old Ones were still alive.

When winter finally melted into spring, Aloy was thinner than she previously was, despite Rost ensuring that she ate more than him. Unsurprisingly, Rost himself had lost weight, his face visibly gaunt. The harsh winter had aged him prematurely as well. More grey hairs had appeared in Rost’s beard, and the man had more wrinkles in his face, giving him a permanent expression of exhaustion. But Rost found himself exhausted a lot nowadays.

All of this served as a reminder to them that here, in their new home, survival would be much more difficult.

But if anything, Aloy’s Brave training was not forgotten. In fact, if Aloy had been asked, she would have said Rost was pushing her Brave training with a new sense of eagerness. As soon as the snow had melted sufficiently, Rost put the girl to work. Aloy would train from dawn to dusk, in what Rost considered as a test of her endurance. Rost insisted that now that Aloy was 11, it meant that she was grown enough to handle the extra training sessions. The Brave Trails that Rost had been hesitant for Aloy to run past autumn were now regarded as a common segment of Aloy’s training.

Rost’s newly invigorated interest in her training surprised Aloy, but not enough to ask Rost about it. Aloy found herself too tired most nights to even bring it up with Rost. But even then, that wasn’t on the forefront of Aloy’s mind. She was still unsure how to approach him about Sparks. If anything, Aloy could almost tell Rost wanted her to never mention the Machine ever again.

That was fine for Aloy. She had learned quickly that Rost wasn’t interested in her skill for overriding Machines. More like he bordered on being terrified at the thought of her controlling Machines. The fear that Aloy could see in his eyes when Rost thought she wasn’t looking, it terrified her.

Not enough to stop her, however. This was something she could do, and only her. And only _she_ could understand it entirely. If anything, Aloy only wanted to do it more, just to see what more she could possibly learn from this unique skill. And that was why Devil’s Thirst, the one place any _True Nora_ would never dare go, was the perfect place to hone that skill.

* * *

After years of living outside the Embrace, Aloy was becoming an expert in acting.

Well, not acting in general. If asked to recite the history of the Nora, Aloy was sure that she would stumble over words and forget the order of important events. No matter how many times Rost sat her down after supper and spoke to her about the Nora’s history, it proved difficult for Aloy to pay attention. Aloy didn’t see the point of learning the Nora’s history if she wasn’t exactly part of the tribe. Yet Rost made it clear he didn’t agree with her.

No, to be more specific, Aloy was an expert at pretending to be asleep. So far, Rost had been none the wiser for the past 2 years. Rost fully believed Aloy had exhausted herself after her daily Brave training, and he paid little attention to her after she turned in for the night. Or maybe he blamed it on Aloy’s current growth spurt and how it seemed to wreak havoc on her body. Maybe being 13 was supposed to be an exhausting year…

Still, Aloy was good at pretending, and even at being patient. She waited until she was sure Rost had retired to his own cot, and even until he was snoring before carefully climbing out of her furs. Her movements were slow as she gathered her pack and spear. Rost had put the fire out, and the soft glow it usually provided as light was absent for tonight. Even so, Aloy was adept to moving in almost complete darkness.

The largest obstacle of sneaking out was the door, which had developed a squeak from use over the past year. It would surely wake Rost, and even if it did not Aloy did not want to risk it. She did not want to gamble the few hours of solitude she had found for herself every night. Instead, Aloy climbed out through the small window of the hovel. Aloy was just small enough to fit through the window, yet that might not be the case for much longer. Without much more thought, Aloy quietly closed the window’s protective shutter.

And then she was free.

Aloy was quick to grab her bow off of the rack outside. And then she was running through the forest towards the metal ruins. The hot humid summer day had changed into a much more comfortable night, with the cool night breeze flowing through Aloy’s hair in a way that was almost addicting. Aloy always loved the feeling of the wind on her face. She couldn’t help but smile through her panted breaths. Her limbs ached from the workout today, but at the moment Aloy couldn’t bring herself to worry about waking up extra sore tomorrow.

Once the forest began to thin, Aloy forced herself to slow down. At the forest’s edge, the Nora roads could be spotted in the distance. Aloy could even see the distant firelights of Mother’s Rise. And if she could see the road that meant tribesmen could see her. Rost told her that much. No, she had to slip into the Old Ones’ ruins without being spotted.

Aloy spent the next several minutes ducking between trees and lurking through the high grass. Aloy only allowed herself to sigh in relief once she was surrounded in the towering rusted ruins. With a hand brought up to her Focus, Aloy took a mental note of the time, just to make sure she didn’t spend the entire night here. She needed some rest before waking up tomorrow to run through Rost’s trials.

As she activated her Focus, Aloy took a look around the ruins, searching for anything of interest. Yes, her primary reason for coming here was to find and try to override Machines, but Aloy had discovered a second interest of hers when she first began these nighttime excursions. She loved the small artifacts she could find in the ruins.

“Okay, let’s see if there’s anything fun around that way…” Aloy whispered to herself. She took a quick scan of the surroundings before her Focus pinged and brought a pile of rubble to her attention. “Huh. I wonder what’s hiding underneath you.”

Aloy walked to the pile and then bent down beside it. She worked on moving the pile of rubble aside, lifting the heavy rocks and debris with calloused hands. After a few minutes of digging through the rough material, Aloy felt the feeling of something somewhat smooth. Aloy carefully freed the object and then brought it up to her.

“My my, you look like a beauty.” Aloy said with a soft smile.

It was another small vessel, a faded green with the rim chipped from years of lying underneath the rubble However, the handle was perfectly intact, and Aloy wrapped a hand around it. She studied the white writing on the vessel. It was more of a white symbol against the green background, but there was a small print that read _Colorado State_ _Rams_ underneath it.

“Well, out of all the ones I’ve found yet, you look like you’re in the best shape.” Aloy said to herself. She wanted nothing more to put it in her pack, but she knew better. Sooner or later Rost would have found it. Instead, Aloy sighed and stood up, keeping it in her hand. “Come on; let’s put you with the rest.”

Aloy had a small cache, safely tucked in the ruins of one of the smaller buildings. Inside, it was relatively sheltered from the elements. And it housed all of her findings, from vessels to ancient jewelry and chimes. Aloy hurried towards it. She placed the object with the others, only sparing one moment to look at the size of her collection. Aloy couldn’t help but be proud at her findings.

If only Rost would have felt the same way.

Aloy shook the thought from her mind and activated her Focus again. “Okay, I’ve still got an hour before I need to start heading back. That’s enough time.”

Aloy headed further into the ruins of Devil’s Thirst. The ruins grew in height, and Aloy couldn’t help but think for the millionth time that this must have been the heart of the ancient city. Just how many Old Ones lived here, in these ruins before they all disappeared? Again, Aloy wished she could see what it must have looked like in all its glory.

“It couldn’t have been all rust back then, right?” Aloy asked herself. “Did it look like the Machines? All Black and White with tubing and wires?”

But of course, there wasn’t really an answer for her. Not even Aloy’s Focus could tell her.

Before Aloy could go back into questioning the past. She was shook from her thoughts, quite literally. The ground beneath her feet shuddered, almost threatening to send Aloy stumbling in her steps. Aloy froze in place and looked at the surroundings through her Focus, immediately tense in case if an unknown, large Machine had stumbled into her usually quiet ruins.

And the shuddering grew with intensity with each passing moment. Aloy had trouble admitting to herself that she was quite frightened.

“What the hell was that?” Aloy whispered sharply as she scrambled to the side of a crumbling wall for cover.

As if to answer her, Aloy’s Focus stirred to life all by itself. It released several intonations that Aloy had never heard before. As the Focus’s interface surrounded Aloy, the young girl let out a sharp breath as she saw the highlighted form of a gigantic Machine heading towards her at a slow but steady pace. It towered over her, and she was sure it must have been taller than some of the rusted buildings that surrounded them.

Immediately acting on instinct, Aloy started to sprint away. In that moment, Aloy was afraid for her life. If that thing decided to trample her down, it would kill her easily.

“Shit shit _shit shit!”_ Aloy yelled as she searched for cover or a way to hide from the thing.

Aloy slid into the safety of the nearby long grass and swiftly turned to see if she was still being pursued. She was panting heavily, and she brushed the few stray hairs out of her vision. What she saw was… nothing? No, that couldn’t be right. Where did that Machine go? It couldn’t have just disappeared.

The ground was still shuddering underneath her, but it was growing… fainter? What was going on?

Eventually, Aloy’s curiosity forced her out of the safety of the tall grass. She scanned the dark horizon, and she faintly caught sight of the Machine through her focus. It was heading away from her, as if it turned around without seeing her. If anything, this only piqued Aloy’s interest further.

“Okay, new plan. Follow that Machine.” Aloy decided with a quick nod of her head.

Aloy jogged after the Machine. Even with it being giant in size, Aloy was catching up to it. It helped once Aloy figured out that the Machine was going around in circles, as the dirt had several fresh prints, with the plants growing tired after being repeatedly stepped on. Aloy paused as she watched the Machine follow in its designated path.

“Hey, what’s this Machine?” Aloy asked her Focus.

_… Scanning… please wait… 41%... 87%... complete._

_Registered construct: Psi Class TL-4A Communication Unit, Production Line 001A08-6D. No Designation recovered from databanks._

_Would technician [Aloy] like to reset a designated short term codename for Unit Class [Communication]? Y/N._

“Uh… Yeah. How about ‘Tallneck’?”

_Designation [Tallneck] registered successfully. Saving file change to—_

_ERROR—_

_Unable to connect to external databanks. _Please contact Division Lead [Julia H. Schwartz]—__

“Yeah yeah, for assistance. So you keep saying.” Aloy muttered in mild frustration. Over the years Aloy had grown to resent whoever this Julia H. Schwartz was; whenever her Focus couldn’t handle a process, it always brought up her name as if to shift the blame onto her. “Is there any way for me to turn off the warnings whenever I get an error message?”

_Error messages have been disabled by admin [Aloy]._

“Wait. It was that easy? This whole time? Never mind, ignore that question.” Aloy said with an exasperated shake of her head.

Her Focus shut off just as the Tallneck returned from its second looping. Aloy quickly looked around wondering if there was a way to override it. But to do that, she’d have to get away from those dangerous, large legs that were currently stomping the ground and leveling any debris in its way. That mean she had to climb the Machine. Aloy’s eyes quickly caught the sight of a building nearby that was as tall as the Tallneck.

Aloy knew she could climb up there, and the jump from there and onto the Machine would be easy. Aloy just hoped that her muscles wouldn’t be sore from overexertion tomorrow morning. There was no doubt in Aloy’s mind that Rost would be suspicious if she just suddenly overdid it during her training.

Despite how tired Aloy’s body seemed to be, Aloy climbed up the rusted building with ease. She allowed herself to sit there on the ledge from the top, watching the Machine finishing its loop. It’s large, circular head bobbed through the openings of the ruins. She studied it again with her focus, and that only confirmed Aloy’s suspicions that to override it would be from its head. Getting up there wouldn’t be easy, not to mention getting off the Machine.

Once the shuddering of the Machine’s steps grew stronger, Aloy forced herself up and braced for the jump of faith. Her muscles tensed as the building shook. Aloy quickly wiped the sweat from her hands onto her clothing. As the Tallneck began to pass her, Aloy sprung into action, leaping off the side of the opening. Her hands were outstretched, hoping to grab one of the neck antennae.

She collided with the lowest antenna, letting out a hard _oof_ as she quickly wrapped her arms around it to keep from falling off. Not the most graceful of a landing, but Aloy had definitely had worse before. She was quick to climb onto it, and was even quicker to find that balancing on a moving Machine was harder than she thought. Aloy noticed climbing grips that ran along the entire back of the neck, and was quick to scurry up it.

As Aloy reached the top, she was met with a breathless sight. While it was dark, she could see the lights from the Mother’s Rise, Mother’s Hand, and even the defensible wall and gates of the Embrace. Overhead, the clouds parted and the almost full moon lit up the Sacred Lands in its soft, cool glow. Never in a million years did Aloy think she would ever get a view like this.

It was… breathtaking.

Even as the Tallneck almost accidentally sent her tumbling off to her death. Aloy was quickly dragged back to reality as she bent down for a more secure position. She pulled the spear off her back and readied the converter tool. Aloy brought the tool down onto the center of the Tallneck’s head, and Aloy was bathed in a series of blue, pink, and purple lights from her Focus.

_—Emergency Converter Tool Activated._

_Processing… Sub-level 03, Model Gamma detected: Request Approved._

_Booting up connection link. Standby… 15%... 39%... 91%...._

_Secure connection established. Transferring stored information from Unit TL-4A to Project registered mobile informational device of admin [Aloy]. One moment please…_

There was an almost blinding light that forced Aloy to shield her eyes. Once it dimmed, Aloy opened them again to see that there seemed to be a map that was being projected from the Tallneck’s head. In wonder, Aloy brought a hand and swiped around it, inspecting the map for a few seconds. This was… the entirety of the Embrace. Right at her fingertips.

And then just as suddenly as it appeared, the map seemingly exploded, scattering the light projections in all directions. Aloy couldn’t help but flinch from the explosion of lights, but wasn’t surprised to find that she wasn’t hurt either.

The lights on her converter tool dimmed until they eventually shut off. Only then did Aloy pull the spear back onto her back. She waited patiently, just to see if anything else had happened. She had overridden a few other Machines since Sparks, but none had lasted for long. Weren’t they supposed to be… talking to her by now?

“Uh, hey. Are you in there?” Aloy asked, addressing the Tallneck.

There was no response.

“Hello?” Aloy asked again, slightly impatient.

When she didn’t get a response this time, she grew even more confused. Aloy quickly took a second, more thorough look at what her Focus had told her during the override. And then she discovered why the Tallneck seemed unaffected. Unlike the other overrides Aloy had done in the past, this message didn’t tell her that she had been given control of the Machine, only that it had transferred information to her.

Huh.

“Huh. I guess you guys aren’t smart enough to listen to me then. You probably don’t even know I’m here, big guy.” Aloy said as she bent down and patted the Machine. She received no confirmation from the Machine, but now Aloy wasn’t expecting one. “Now how the hell do I get down from here now?”

The answer turned out to be to rappel down. Aloy was quick to find something that would be sturdy enough to support her weight down. The ride down was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. She must be the only person in the Embrace to do such a thing, and that lit her heart a flutter at the thought. Her, a _dirty Outcast_ , just experienced the thrill of rappelling down the largest Machine in the world. Those stupid Nora didn’t know what they were missing.

Aloy wanted to hoot and holler from the adrenalin currently rushing through her system. But she knew better. The Tallneck wasn’t the only Machine that patrolled Devil’s Thirst, and she shouldn’t draw anymore unwanted attention to herself. Aloy still had to make it back to the hovel before sunrise. However, Aloy knew there was no way she was going to get any sleep tonight after this.

But if she survived Rost’s training tomorrow, Aloy knew she was coming back tomorrow night to do this again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry that this one took forever to get out. This is a transitional chapter, as I want to start getting to the actual story instead of just the build up. I also had a lot going on in my personal life that meant I had less time devoted to writing. Therefore, this chapter is shorter and kind of rougher than the others. I can't be a perfectionist for every chapter or else this fic isn't going to be finished. 
> 
> That being said, I /think/ there's one more chapter after this. If not one, then certainly two. And then we can get to the second part of this series: Ruins.


	5. Chapter 5

_2 weeks later…_

“Aloy. Wake up.”

Aloy awoke to find a heavy hand shaking her shoulder. It took seconds for Aloy to rub the sleep out of her eyes, only to find Rost towering over her, already dressed in his outside furs. She had not been asleep for even an hour, this she knew. During this past nightly excursion into Devil’s Thirst Aloy had forgotten the time, and had rushed home before Rost could catch her. It seemed now, when Rost wanted her up before sunrise, she was going to pay for her inattention to detail.

“Rost. What is it?” Aloy groaned as she forced herself to sit up from her warm furs. “You said we would go hunting today. Are we leaving even before the sun rises?”

Rost paused for a second. “No… there has been a change of plans. Get dressed, we need to leave immediately.”

Sensing the urgency in his voice, Aloy followed orders and stood up from her bed. Rost turned to allow the growing girl a sense of privacy as she changed out of her sleeping clothes. As Aloy quickly changed into her training outfit, she continued to question Rost.

“What happened? Do we need to leave again?” Aloy asked, a sense of worry tugging at her words. Aloy did not want to leave, not when she was this close to Devil’s Thirst.

“No, we are safe. For now.” Rost explained. “This is part of your training. There is something you need to see.”

The two Outcasts left soon after that exchange, heading deep into the woods. The two stayed close to the wilds for as long as they could. But to Aloy’s surprise it seemed like Rost was leading them to the main roads, towards the Nora’s villages. And as they came closer to the main roads, they also ran into Braves.

There were a lot of Braves, more so than what should have been normal. Aloy had never seen so many in one area before. Aloy hesitated in her steps, afraid of the number of Braves. Rost sensed her hesitance and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before moving again. A quick glance up to Rost’s face, and Aloy could see that he was also nervous; it was hidden underneath a stern frown, but his eyes always gave him away.

Aloy returned her attention to the tribesmen. All the Braves seemed to be preparing for battle, either stringing or repairing their bow, or sharpening their spear. As Rost and Aloy traveled further down the road, Aloy spotted a few that looked to be wounded, as they were writhing on the ground while being tended to by the healers and medicine men. Any and all talk or preparation between the Braves stopped as they noticed the Outcasts’ presence. Soon all eyes were on the two Outcasts.

Aloy may have been 13, and considered herself to be a grown woman in all but years, but she still shied away from the men and women as they glared at her and Rost. She hated that her first instinct was to hide behind Rost for protection, to show weakness in front of the Nora warriors. Once Aloy managed to get her nerves under control, she shrugged Rost’s hand off of her shoulder and forced herself to walk beside Rost, not behind him. She held her head high and did her best to ignore the glares at her back.

Soon after came the sound of fighting. The night air had suddenly erupted with shrill sounds of angry Machine joints against the war cries of determined Nora Braves. Next came the sound of wood snapping, so similar to when lightning strikes a tree. This was followed by the sound of someone getting hurt, and the more morbid part of Aloy’s mind could only think that she had just heard the sound of someone dying.

And Rost was taking them towards the fight.

Once they had made it close to the actual battle, Rost took them off of the beaten path. It seemed their presence was finally aggravating the Braves, and both Outcasts knew that they shouldn’t draw their ire. Instead, Rost quietly pointed Aloy up to a nearby tree platform. It was too far from the fight itself to be of any use, but maybe it would allow for an angle to actually see the fight ahead.

The two Outcasts made their way toward the platform. After receiving a small boost from Rost, Aloy climbed up to the top, trying her best to ignore the sounds of the fight behind her. As Aloy steadied herself into a crouch on the platform, she allowed herself to take a closer look at the battle. 

The first thing she noticed was the fire.

During the fight, somehow the nearby shrubs were lit by mishandled blaze. It was currently engulfing a nearby wooden shack, and Aloy could have sworn that she could feel the heat from the flames even from this distance. It was a beacon of light against the dark night. Aloy could only see the fight as Braves dashed between the fire, small dark blobs against the raging inferno.

Aloy was also surprised to see just how close the fighting was to Mother’s Hand. The village was incredibly small to begin with, usually considered nothing more but an extension of Mother’s Rise. But now it housed the battle itself. Homes were clearly destroyed, and it would take months to repair them. Aloy only wondered briefly if people got out safely. But then her attention was shifted elsewhere entirely.

She found the Machine they were battling.

It was massive in size. Not as large as the Tallneck still marching through Devil’s Thirst. But it was larger than any Strider or Watcher. It was like a giant Scrapper, heavy upper body with powerful legs. Its metallic jaw looked like it could easily snap bone if anyone were too foolish to get close to it. The armor must have been incredibly thick, as it seemed to shrug off arrows as if they were leaves in the wind.

Once Rost had joined Aloy up on the tree platform, she turned to him.

“Rost… what is that? I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Aloy whispered, her words almost lost to the battle ahead of them.

“That, Aloy, is a Sawtooth. It is a dangerous Machine that is found in the northern parts of the Sacred Lands.” Rost explained. “They rarely journey this far south. But when they do, it is often in packs of three. This is the second one spotted today.”

Rost paused as the cries from the Sawtooth grated against Aloy’s ears, drawing her attention away from him. One of the Braves had attempted to stab at the Sawtooth when its back was exposed, and it had earned the Machine’s undivided attention. The Sawtooth pounced on the Brave, putting all its weight on the man. Aloy could hear the man’s cries of pain from here. Aloy could just barely spot another Brave pulling the wounded man away, but his cries continued until they were suddenly silenced.

“It kills without mercy, Aloy. You must understand this about all Machines.” Rost continued. “That Sawtooth has killed many already. It’s only purpose is to hunt us, and then kill us.”

Aloy remained quiet, letting the words seep into her mind. From what she was seeing, it seemed that Rost was speaking the truth. But she knew more about Machines than him. She thought of the Tallneck she came across weeks ago, and how it barely paid attention to her. She thought of Sparks, and the few others she had overridden since her time outside the Embrace. Sparks 2, Bulb Head, Screamer. They only lasted days before being destroyed by their own stupidity or from a hostile Machine. But they never turned against her during that short period with her.

“And _their_ job,” Rost pointed to the Braves down in the battlefield, “is to hunt them. In order to protect the tribe, Braves must fight these beasts. And when you win the Proving, you’ll have to fight alongside them. To protect the tribe.”

That quickly grabbed Aloy’s attention. “Wait. I’ll have to fight _with them_?”

“Aloy. That is the true point of the Proving. To become a Brave and fight to keep the Sacred Lands safe, for all who live in it.” Rost said, his tone of voice slightly disapproving. Rost was shaking his head, almost as if he was disappointed in Aloy. “I would hope that you would already understand this.”

“I’m running in the Proving to find out why I was cast out. To find out who my mother was.” Aloy said, slightly aggravated. Aloy’s hands clenched into tight, shaking fists by her side. “Not to join the stupid tribe.”

Why would she? They didn’t want her. They made that incredibly clear when they cast her out at birth. Not even her own mother wanted her. And Aloy didn’t want them. But clearly, that wasn’t what Rost wanted to hear. Already, Aloy could see Rost’s patience grow thin at her words, and Aloy knew she made a mistake.

“And I’m telling you that you cannot have one without the other, Aloy.” Rost said, his voice full of authority in the situation. “You cannot be selfish in this path in life. The path that _you’ve_ chosen, Aloy. You _will_ join the tribe after the Proving. You must do your part in protecting the Nora, or else more will lose their lives.”

At this, Rost pointed towards the battle again for extra emphasis. His eyes were hard and steely. Aloy knew that there was no budging from this subject. But that didn’t mean that Aloy liked it.

Aloy averted her gaze from the man, angry at herself and at him. She could feel angry tears beginning to form, slightly hurt at his words. However, she refused to wipe them away, knowing that it would only confirm how hurt she felt. Aloy couldn’t show weakness, especially not in front of Rost.

Rost continued in his lecture, his voice softer but nonetheless still commanding. “You have a natural skill as a warrior Aloy. You need to remember that because of this, you have the means to protect others. And so you have the responsibility to do so. The tribe is your true family. The Machines are your enemy.”

Aloy still avoided eye contact, and was stubbornly quiet. Instead, she kept her eyes on the Sawtooth. During her argument with Rost, the battle had turned in favor for the Nora Braves. The Sawtooth was still moving, but had since been toppled onto its side. Its angry roars filled the air as it tried to stand correctly. But a volley of flame arrows quickly sailed through the air. Instantly, the Sawtooth was set ablaze. It didn’t take much longer for the beast to fall lifeless.

And then the air was filled with the victorious battle cries of the Braves. Aloy frowned as she kept her eyes on the flaming husk of the Sawtooth. She sat there, completely still as she was mesmerized by the bright flames. Aloy could hear Rost speaking to her again, but it was as if he was far away, in another room. His words were distorted as Aloy’s mind began to fill up with thoughts.

If Sawtooths travel in packs of threes, and this was the second one… that meant that there was still one more out there. It was somewhere in the wild of the Sacred Lands. If she could find it, then maybe she could override it. She could prove that she didn’t need to fight the Machines.

Even when Rost tugged Aloy, taking her out of her thoughts, even as the two slowly abandoned the battlefield for the safety of home, Aloy’s mind was preoccupied with these thoughts. By the time that they returned home, with the eastern sky growing lighter, Aloy’s mind was already made up.

* * *

Their joint hunting trip for that day was cancelled. Due to how little sleep Aloy had gotten from both going to Devil’s Thirst, as well as Rost’s decision to take Aloy to see the Sawtooth, the girl didn’t have energy to be a completely stealthy hunter. Rost was lenient, for that Aloy was grateful. So for that day, Aloy spent much of it in the hovel, sleeping while Rost hunted for fresh game.

Even when Rost returned well before sunset, Aloy was still asleep.

And when Rost turned in early for that night, due to his own exhaustion, Aloy found herself wide awake to go find that third Sawtooth. As soon as Rost was snoring, Aloy was gone, packed and ready for a battle if it came down to that. The one problem was that she had no clue where the Sawtooth would be. Even her Focus, which usually helped her when it came to tracking, couldn’t find a place to start looking.

“Okay, I guess I’m doing this the hard way then.” Aloy uttered under her breath.

Aloy wound up being closer to the main roads than she would have liked. She remained out of sight as best as she could, hoping that she would wind up lucky and hear passing Nora talking about the missing Sawtooth. On this cloudless night with the waxing moon, Aloy could see the full destruction from the previous night as she came ever closer to the remains of Mother’s Hand.

The village had been deserted. With the amount of destruction the battle had caused, it may have been deemed a lost cause of rebuilding it. All that was left of the village were the scorch marks on the ground, the destroyed and burnt houses. And of course, the remains of the blackened husk of the Sawtooth. What could be salvaged from the Machine was already taken during the day. Still, it was the Sawtooth that caught Aloy’s undivided attention. While in the safety and security of a bush, Aloy activated her Focus and scanned the skeleton.

_Scanning… scan complete._

_Identified Object:_

  * _Offline Sigma Class JT-09B Combat Unit. Production Line 004F13-1D. Designation: Sawtooth._



_Warning!_

_Unit JT-09B has taken extensive damage. Percentage of repairs needed to return Unit JT-9B to acceptable condition: 92%. Repairs not recommended. Recommended course of action: scrap for reusable parts by Recycler Unit, designation: Scrapper._

“That’s nice and all, but I need to track another Sawtooth like this one. Can I do this by inspecting this one?” Aloy whispered softly.

_Query recognized… please wait…_

_Unable._

“Damn it.” Aloy cursed. Well, there goes that option. “Okay. Just keep an eye out for any Sawtooths for me at least.”

Aloy left soon after, knowing that she shouldn’t push her luck. Running into a Brave would be a distraction at best and another obstacle to overcome at worst. Braves probably wouldn’t like an Outcast like herself snooping around the remains of Mother’s Hand. She already knew she’d be accused of stealing objects from the tribe, anything that added another degree of power over her.

Travelling further north, Aloy walked beside the river. On the other side of the river was Devil’s Thirst. If it wasn’t for the fact that Aloy didn’t want to get soaked and chilled in the night air, she would have crossed the river by now. She felt too close to the tribe for her likings, and she was still nervous about running into a Brave. Aloy didn’t want to get spit on; she’s already received that treatment too many times for one lifetime.

She was fortunate in this aspect, at least. There seemed to be very few Braves on patrol. Aloy briefly wondered if most were injured or if they were more worried about protecting the villages at night. It didn’t matter which was the right answer, it just meant that Aloy would have to deal with less problems.

Aloy travelled a further ways more. She only stopped when the land surrounding her began to grow more unfamiliar to her. If she went any further, Aloy might not return home by the time Rost woke up. And that was the last thing she needed: Rost searching for her while she was searching for the Sawtooth. Regretfully, Aloy turned around and started heading back south.

Well, if she had to travel back home, best to do it through Devil’s Thirst. After a bit of searching downstream, Aloy found a felled tree that would act as a decent bridge across the river. The wood was somewhat slippery but Aloy crossed it without accidentally falling into the slow river below. It was only when Aloy was surrounded by the familiar tall ruins that she finally felt less on edge.

Five minutes later, and her Focus suddenly activated.

_Hostile Sawtooth located within a 50 meter diameter._

_Warning: an uncontrolled Combat Unit may result in loss of limbs or life. Continue with extreme caution._

“Yeah, I know that already.” Aloy whispered as she carefully ducked into a small patch of tall grass. “I just need to be not seen by it. Which is easier said than done.”

Sure enough, after Aloy stopped to listen to her surroundings, she could hear the sound a set of heavy mechanical joints. It reminded Aloy of the sounds the Tallneck made, yet not quite as pronounced. This only served to remind to Aloy how large this Sawtooth must be. And if it also made Aloy nervous, she tried her best to internally deny that. She can’t be scared, not when she needed to focus.

Through her Focus, Aloy could see the metal frame and internal tubing that composed the distant Sawtooth. It looked like it was patrolling the inside of a collapsed building. Aloy wanted to groan in frustration; that was probably the worst location for it to be in. If the Sawtooth noticed her and decided to attack, that wouldn’t leave much room for a fight. Or for a quick escape. But this was Aloy’s only shot of getting to override the Sawtooth.

Aloy steadied her growing nerves, and then slowly crept towards the Sawtooth’s location. The sound of the Sawtooth moving, as well as the impact of its steps, grew in intensity. Every second felt like a minute as Aloy crept ever closer.

And then, through the rusted windows of the building, the Sawtooth came in view.

It looked much larger this close. Even if Aloy stood up to her full height, she didn’t know if she could reach its head. Its small, blue beady eyes were incredibly bright. When Aloy blinked, she could still see the after image behind her eyelids. It growled harshly, and for a second Aloy thought that it had already spotted her. It sent a shiver down her spine.

But what gained Aloy’s attention the most was the stained red jaw of the Sawtooth. Even in the dim light, Aloy could see the dark stains. She could only imagine that it was dried blood of some unfortunate victim. If Aloy didn’t act fast enough that could be her fate as well.

At that moment, Aloy had serious doubts about this.

But Aloy was also stubborn. Too stubborn for her own good, as Rost would sometimes say. She wasn’t about to quit now that she had found the Sawtooth. A quitter would never win the Proving. As Aloy gripped her spear, she gained a newfound confidence and slowly entered the collapsed building through an open doorframe.

The roof of the building was completely gone, and only three walls remained. The night sky shown from above, the stars twinkling with the bright moonlight. Below, the ground was covered in dense tall grass and wild flowers. That was a small miracle in itself, for Aloy could sneak further in without the Sawtooth noticing. Aloy had the sinking suspicion that if the Sawtooth noticed her before she could override it, then there wouldn’t be a second chance at this.

Aloy studied the path the Sawtooth took and mentally prepared herself to get into place. This could work, she knew it would. She just can’t be spotted. Aloy trudged closer to the Sawtooth, trying her best to remain as silent as possible. The Sawtooth wasn’t aware of her presence; so far so good.

Once Aloy was within an arm’s reach away from the Sawtooth, she stopped. Her heartbeat was thrumming violently in her ears; it was almost as loud as the Sawtooth’s steps. The hairs on her exposed arms were standing straight up as goosebumps covered her skin. Aloy waited as the Sawtooth came ever close to her. She sucked in a deep breath, preparing herself to spring into action. This would either work, or she would get killed.

And then she jabbed the converter tool at it.

And it made contact.

_—Emergency Converter Tool Activated._

_Processing… Sub-level 03, Model Gamma detected: Request Approved._

_Booting up connection link. Standby… 13%… 49%… 53%… 100%_

_Secure connection established. Transferring temporary admin control to onsite technician [Aloy]. Sigma Class Combat Unit JT-09C under immediate control for 999̷̝̉9̶̰̑9̴̭́9̵_ _͒_ _̬—_

 _—ERROR 9̸̿̉̏̕_ _͎͊_ _̳̤_ _͇_ _̪9̸̆_ _͘_ _̢̜̮̥̠̽̾̉9̷̽̄̈̀̈́_ _͕_ _̼_ _͙͎_ _̲9̵̈́̌̾̑_ _͒_ _̟̘_ _͖_ _̻̞9̸̊_ _͋͠_ _̮̯̺̊̔_ _͕_ _̝9̸̈́̏̀_ _͕͑͋_ _̮_ _͉_ _̝_ _͜_ _̸̇_ _͐_ _̒_

 _—Ĕ̵_ _͗_ _́_ _͙͈_ _̫̻̰̯R̷_ _͝_ _̉̒̓̏̒_ _͑_ _̚_ _͐_ _̡̡̪̱̜̟̈́R̶̻̿̀̆_ _͉͖_ _̳_ _͖_ _O̷_ _͛͒͘͝_ _̚_ _͎_ _̺̳̥̦̦_ _͚_ _̰ **̼̗̼**_ **_͚_ ** **_̭Ŗ̶̹̌̎̋̚Ȓ̷̈́̃̈́_ ** **_͂_ ** **_̈́̚_ ** **_͋_ ** **_̢̹̮ ̵̅_ ** **_͐͐͋_ ** **_̙̰̳̈́̑_ ** **_͔͖͚_ ** **_̧̠̺̫̥̰̲̻R̵_ ** **_͘_ ** **_̼̩̖̭̣̥̆̎̔̏̊̄̉̆̕ͅ_ ** **_͈_ ** **_̱̱_ ** **_͈͖_ ** **_R̷̂̊̌̍_ ** **_͔_ ** **_̮R̸_ ** **_͋_ ** **_̋̇_ ** **_͒_ ** **_̍_ ** **_͘_ ** **_̒_ ** **_͌_ ** **_̔_ ** **_̓͘_ ** **_̥̱̺̞̗̎̋_ ** _̭̖̪̲̤_ _͇_ _̢̳̮_

_—hours._

The Sawtooth shuddered as the converter tool fell from its hold on it. Its bright lights flickered for a few seconds, and it briefly made Aloy fear that she had somehow damaged the Machine instead of overriding it. But then the lights flickered back to blue. The Sawtooth froze in place for a few more seconds before it stiffly turned to face Aloy.

_JT-09C: This Combat Unit recognizes the authority of admin [Aloy] and has paused all primary and secondary commands as designated by HEPHASTEUS. This Combat Unit is at the disposal of admin [Aloy] in the allotted time. When allotted time is used up, this Combat Unit will return to its primary directive._

_JT-09C: Primary directive: to protect and discourage primitive life forms from attacking GAIA Prime equipment and machinery. This is in accordance with Project parameters._

“Okay. You just said a lot of stuff that went right over my head.” Aloy said as she finally stood up from her crouch. She made her way towards the Sawtooth’s head, still hesitant as the Machine’s beady eyes kept its ever watchful gaze on her. “What’s more important is that I need to know if you’re going to attack me or not. Because you are a… a really big Machine when I’m this close to you. Big and scary.”

_JT-09C: Under the Code of Ethics set by admin [Omar Hashem] this Combat Unit recognizes the authority of admin [Aloy]. This Combat Unit will protect and serve admin [Aloy] during the allotted time._

“Okay, I’m going to take the short answer of ‘yes’, then.” Aloy said with a nod of her head.

Tentatively, Aloy raised her hand towards the Machine. The Sawtooth remained motionless as Aloy hesitated. Every part of her instinct was telling Aloy to get her small, completely vulnerable hand away from the stained metal jaw of the Sawtooth. There was no way that this was a sane action. But she was also committed to proving a point. She had to prove Rost that he was wrong.

Machines can be her friend.

With this in mind, Aloy nervously chewed on her lip and placed her palm on the Sawtooth’s armored snout. If she had been expecting a warning growl, she was surprised to see that she hadn’t gotten one. Her stiff hand slowly loosened up, and she felt the cool metal against her skin. Her hand started to wander, and soon she was looking at the exposed but protected wiring that could be found below its chin.

“Hey, do you mind telling me why you’ve got a blood stain?” Aloy finally forced herself to ask. She was already prepared to not like the answer.

_JT-09C: This Combat Unit was assaulted by two primitive life forms. This Combat Unit acted in self defense and terminated the hostile life forms._

So the Sawtooth killed someone. This was the answer Aloy was expecting, but it still slightly freaked her out. Yes, most Machines could kill a person if given the chance. This has been a lesson Rost has drilled into Aloy’s head for as long as she could speak. But now that this one confirmed that it did actually kill two people, it somehow made that realization more tangible. Aloy instinctively withdrew her hand away from the Sawtooth and grimaced.

But of course, the Machine was unfazed by this realization. It probably didn’t even notice Aloy’s sudden discomfort.

“Okay. Uh… can I ask you _not_ to kill anyone?” Aloy asked. “If Rost ever found out I’ve overridden a Machine that’s killed a Nora, we’ll _both_ be dead.”

_JT-09C: Affirmative. Setting new parameters._

“Good. That’s… good.” Aloy said with a slow nod. “Not killing people is good.”

Suddenly, Aloy’s Focus let out a series of warning chirps. Aloy was pulled out of her conversation with the Sawtooth. Immediately, her Focus brought a pop up window of the time. Aloy whispered a curse as she noticed she had been out exploring for far too long. It was already early morning, and Rost was bound to wake up within the next couple hours. She’d have to run to get back in time.

“Oh ok. Sawtooth, I’ve gotta go.” Aloy said as instinctual panic started to seep into her bones. Aloy was already starting to walk backwards towards the building’s open side. “Look, stay here. Don’t follow me. I’ll— I’ll come back, as soon as possible. Just _stay here_.”

_JT-09C: New command recognized. Entering offline mode by admin [Aloy]’s instructions._

And just like that. The Sawtooth lowered itself to the ground, where it laid there like a sleeping fox. It’s eyes dimmed until they were off completely. And if it wasn’t for Aloy’s Focus telling her otherwise, Aloy would have thought that the Sawtooth wasn’t alive at all.

Aloy couldn’t dawdle anymore. She turned and started running back home.

It wasn’t until Aloy was back under her bed furs that she remembered she hadn’t given the Sawtooth a name.

* * *

As much as Aloy wanted to return to the Sawtooth the next night after, she couldn’t. Rost was growing wise to how tired she was after having a “full night’s rest”. The last thing Aloy wanted was a suspicious Rost, catching her in the act of exploring Devil’s Thirst, especially now that she had overridden a Sawtooth. So for the next week, Aloy thought it best to lay low.

That week was full of rigorous training. And not only training, but Rost further explaining why she had to join the Nora. It seemed their small argument during the Brave’s battle with the Sawtooth had done more than anger him. Changes were added to their daily routine. During breakfast before they left their hovel, Rost would spend that time explaining the Nora’s customs and traditions. At night, before retiring to sleep, he would spend that time going over the tribe’s oral history.

And during Aloy’s Brave training, while she was preoccupied with honing her body and combat skills, Rost would question her. He was quizzing Aloy to see if she had been listening to him. Aloy got most of his questions right, but she saw this more as a distraction than anything.

“Why are you doing this Rost?” Aloy asked through a grunt, almost pausing in her mid-morning pushups. She was drenched in sweat, and her body ached for a brief pause of relief. Rost’s questions were only making Aloy lose concentration. “As you can see,” she grunted again as she performed another pushup, “I’m a little busy at the moment.”

“Because I’ve realized this was one part of your training I’ve neglected so far. Nora children learn this much, much earlier.” Rost explained. “If you are to rejoin the Nora, you will be expected to know the tribe’s history.”

Aloy grunted again, but this time it wasn’t from exertion. Finally, Aloy gave in and collapsed on the ground. She rolled over onto her back and wiped he sweat from her forehead before sitting up. Her hair was a mess, and she would need to re-braid it before doing anything else. Thankfully, Rost mistook Aloy’s aggravation for grumpy exhaustion.

“Now tell me, what is the Day of Songs?” Rost continued.

Aloy let out a long, tired sigh before answering the man. “It’s the day when the valley’s rivers first flood after winter. The Nora celebrates this as the first sign of spring, and the arrival of newborn children. Many babies will be born around this time, because Nora mothers try to coincide pregnancies with the arrival of spring. This is because they want to reflect the birth of babies with the Goddess bringing about the New Year with new seasons.”

And Aloy herself was born in the heart of winter. Just another reason why the Nora didn’t like her. It was bad luck for a child to be born during the season of death.

“And?” Rost asked.

“It’s called the Day of Songs because that’s when Mother’s Watch is open to all Nora, save for Outcasts like ourselves, and the High Matriarch’s lead the tribe in songs and prayers about All Mother. When night falls, there is a grand feast.” Aloy finished.

“Good. You’re learning this quickly, Aloy.” Rost said with a nod of his head. “What tradition is the Proving part of?”

This was one that Aloy was asked to recite quite often. It must have been Rost’s way of drilling this information into her head. It must have been working, because Aloy could almost recite it word for word by now. Aloy only paused to take her hair out of her braid, as she was intending to redo it as she answered Rost’s questions.

“The Proving is part of the yearly coming of age ceremony celebrated by all Nora. The ceremony is called the Passing, and it’s set to reflect the importance of the Day of Songs, exactly half a year after it. Because of this, it marks the beginning or midway point of fall.

“It lasts seven days, the first day being the Proving, which opens up the ceremony. Each day is dedicated to a set of skills or apprenticeships a child might have taken, such as sewing, medicine, or pottery making. After the Passing, the children are considered adults and work in their chosen field and are free to pursue marriage prospects. Every child of 19 years must partake in it.”

 “Good job, Aloy. Now recite the first, third, and eighth blessings to All Mother.”

_Ughhh…_

* * *

By the time Aloy finally managed to sneak away from Rost, she was nervous of what she would find waiting her in Devil’s Thirst. A week had passed since she found the Sawtooth. That was long enough for Aloy to worry if the override on the Sawtooth would wear off. The last thing Aloy wanted was to run into a Sawtooth that wanted to rip her to shreds.

And on a smaller scale, Aloy was also worried if another Machine had stumbled into the Sawtooth. That’s how she lost Sparks 2. A Scrapper had come across it and attacked the Watcher without provocation. It had killed Sparks 2 before Aloy could jump to its defense. From then on, Aloy had learned that other Machines didn’t like overridden ones. The Sawtooth might have been huge, but if it didn’t defend itself, it would’ve been scrap metal in no time.

So Aloy’s journey deep into Devil’s Thirst was full of worry. It wasn’t until Aloy came across the building she first found the Sawtooth in that Aloy felt relief. The Machine was still there, still in offline mode. The bloodstain was almost completely gone from its jaw, as it had rained heavily two days ago.

Aloy turned on her Focus as she stood in front of the Sawtooth. She pressed her hand on the metal plating just underneath its still unlit eyes. The metal felt cold to her touch, the heat from the summer sun having dissipated once night fell. Aloy stood there for a few more seconds, still in awe that she could get this close to a Sawtooth without worrying about her safety.

Finally, Aloy whispered. “Hey, I’m back. Can you wake up?”

As if on cue, the Sawtooth’s lights flickered back on. It rose from its position on the ground, and Aloy quickly scrambled away to make room for the large Machine. Below, the wilted plants left the large impression of the Sawtooth’s body. The Sawtooth’s attention shifted right onto Aloy, its large head only a foot away from hers.

_JT-09C: Restart was successful. Power Core at 81%. Recommended course of action would be to recharge this Combat Unit during day light hours._

“We can’t be together during the day, but I guess you can recharge when I’m not here with you.” Aloy said. “I’m just glad you’re still in one piece. I… I don’t really have a good track record with Machines.”

_JT-09C: This Combat Unit was given a defensive subroutine. If this Combat Unit is attacked while in offline mode, the Unit will commence a forced reboot to protect itself, as deemed by standard Project protocols._

“Wow, That’s actually good news. The last thing that I want is for you to be destroyed when I’m not here.” Aloy said with a swift nod of her head.

Aloy quickly sat down on a pile of nearby rubble. She stared at the Sawtooth. Now that she was here, after a week of overriding it, she didn’t know what to do with the Machine. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. She couldn’t bring it home; Rost would try to kill it just like he had with Sparks. And if she took it out of Devil’s Thirst, then the Nora Braves would definitely see it and try to kill it.

It would have to stay here in Devil’s Thirst. That much was certain.

“So… you’re a Sawtooth.” Aloy said absentmindedly.

_JT-09C: That is the designated term admin [Aloy] has set for this Combat Unit Class._

“Yeah. It’s what the Nora call you, and Machines like you. Probably what the other tribes call you too. I mean, I guess it is. I don’t know that much about the other tribes, just that they exist outside of the Sacred Lands.” Aloy absentmindedly said.

_JT-09C: Missing definition of term “Nora”. Would admin [Aloy] like to register definition for term “Nora”? Y/N._

“Yeah. Nora is the name of the tribe in the Sacred Lands. The tribe I come from, I guess.” Aloy explained, running a hand through her hair. “You know, our intense love for All Mother Mountain and our equally intense hatred for the metal world and the Old Ones?”

Realizing that what she just said could be taken out of context, Aloy quickly added. “But I’m not like other Nora. I prefer the metal ruins over All Mother. I mean, why would the Goddess let me be an Outcast if she is the source of all love in the world? …I don’t think I actually believe in the Goddess too… don’t tell Rost I said that.”

_JT-09C: Missing definition of term “Rost”. Would admin [Aloy like to register definition for term “Rost”? Y/N._

“Rost is the man who raised me. He’s not my dad, but the closest to one I’ll probably ever get. He’s another Outcast. And before you ask what an Outcast is, it’s a person who committed a crime and is shunned from the tribe.” Aloy stood up from her seat on the rubble and moved towards the softer ground. She sat there cross-legged as she played with her fingers. “Most only serve a few years sentences. But others, like Rost and myself, are Outcasts for life.

“He’s never told me what he did. When I asked once, he told me that what he had done was in the past, and should be kept in the past. He looked hurt when I asked it, so I never brought it up again. And he won’t tell me why I was cast out.  That’s why I have to run in the Proving.”

_JT-09C: Missing definition of term “Proving”. Would admin [Aloy like to register definition for term “Rost”? Y/N._

“Can you do me a favor and just ask me what something is instead of repeating the same thing over and over again. It’s getting annoying really quickly.” Aloy asked. “Uh, I’m asking as an admin, that is.”

_JT-09C: Setting new parameters. Query: what is “Proving”?_

“It’s ‘the Proving’. It’s a thing the Nora do for a coming of age ceremony. It’s how kids become recognized adults and warriors. And the best new warrior gets to ask the High Matriarchs for a prize.” Aloy explained. “I’m going to run in the Proving when I get old enough to. And I’m going to win it.”

Aloy was met with the unblinking stare of the Sawtooth. She hadn’t realized that she had gone off of a tangent like that. And she hadn’t a clue for how long she had been on it too. Something about talking to this Machine was just incredibly easy. It felt natural.

Aloy decided to stop thinking about that. And she just kept talking. She talked for what felt like hours until her throat started to feel dry.

Aloy was certain that she had never talked that much before in her life.

“You know… Rost has been telling me a lot about the Nora. Apparently there’s a naming ritual that happens for infants. It’s tradition that Nora don’t name a baby as soon as it’s born, because there’s the chance the child might die.” Aloy explained, tearing at the tall grass by her side.

She started to braid the strands together. The moon above was starting to disappear behind one of the taller buildings. Its white light was still shining through the open windows, however. It created a splotched lighting effect in the ruin that Aloy and the Sawtooth were relaxing in.

Aloy stared at the spots of the moon she could see through the building, and then she continued. “A named child is rooted to the world of the living, and when they die they’re judged by All Mother by their deeds and sins. But an unnamed child that dies just returns to All Mother, free of sin, so that they can be reborn in a new body. And they have a second chance of life.”

Aloy completed the grass bracelet and tied it around her wrist. It would last for maybe a day or two before it broke apart, but it was still pretty to look at. Aloy looked up to the Sawtooth, only to find that it was still staring at her. She had no idea if it was even listening to her, or if it understood anything that wasn’t a direct command. Knowing Aloy’s luck, everything that she laid out in front of the Sawtooth for the last hour probably wasn’t even registering.

But it felt good to speak without fear of being reprimanded or chided at. Aloy loved Rost, but sometimes he didn’t understand her.

“So it’s bad luck to name something when it hasn’t gotten the chance to live or die yet. And I think… I think that’s why all my other Machines were destroyed so quickly. So I don’t think I’m going to name you. Not just yet. Are you okay with that?”

_JT-09C: Query not recognized._

“Yeah. I thought you’d say that. You know, you may not be a good talker. But you are a good listener.” Aloy said as she finally lay down in the grass. “So… thanks.”

Aloy stretched out. The ground here felt surprisingly soft. Aloy would almost be tempted to sleep here by the Sawtooth if she didn’t know any better. Aloy grasped at the grass between her fingers and ripped it out of the ground. The feeling of wet dirt between her fingers felt cool but comforting.

Aloy’s thoughts turned from the Machine by her side and onto herself.

“I wonder if I would have had a second chance at life. I was already cursed since the day I was born.” Aloy muttered. “My own mother never wanted me, so why would All Mother?”

Aloy couldn’t help it, but she felt tears start to form at the corners of her eyes. They weren’t sad tears, but tears of anger and frustration. They stemmed from the frustrations Aloy felt all these years, thinking these thoughts but never having the courage to voice them out loud. She couldn’t do it in front of Rost, the man that had raised her since birth. The man that still loved the Nora even after being cast out. Aloy didn’t want to hurt him like that.

But here, by the Sawtooth, Aloy let all those pent up feelings out. Aloy hiccupped out a short sob before continuing.

“That’s why I have to run in the Proving. I need to know who she is. I need to know why I wasn’t good enough.” Aloy said, her voice struggling to remain strong. “What did I do that warranted me being cast out at birth?

“And when I find her, I want to be angry at her.” Aloy stated, sparing a brief second to gaze at the Sawtooth, as if to gauge its expression. But of course, it didn’t have one. “I want to be angry and demand answers. But I also want her love too. I want to know what it’s like to have a mother that loves me…

“… But if she hasn’t loved me in the past 13 years, will she be able to when I return to the Nora when I’m 19?”

At this Aloy forced herself up to a standing position. She rubbed the tears from her eyes. She felt how warm her face felt. Even when she returned home, Aloy had a feeling Rost would know she had been crying. Aloy didn’t know if she wanted Rost to ask her what was wrong, or just to ignore it and let the problem go away.

“You know, for a tribe that celebrates family above all else, the Nora aren’t that big on acceptance.” Aloy muttered mostly to herself.

Aloy started to pace. “I don’t want to join the Nora. But if I want to find my mother, I’m going to have to. I’ll deal with the Nora after I find her.”

Aloy rambled on for a bit longer. She did so until her Focus began its warning chirp again. Aloy cursed; she had lost track of time again, more focused on complaining away at the Sawtooth. Aloy quickly gathered her pack and weapons. She turned to the Sawtooth and affectionately patted its snout.

“I gotta get going again, sorry friend.” Aloy explained. “You can stay online so you can recharge during the day. Just don’t leave this spot.”

_JT-09C: Setting new parameters._

“Great, thanks.” Aloy said. She only paused once, and it was only to chew her bottom lip in thought. “Hey, if we’re both feeling a little caged up tomorrow night, maybe we can explore Devil’s Thirst together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter ended up being much longer than anticipated, so I split it in two. Next half will be up sometime later, as I recently got a new job that's going to be taking up some free time. But the next one will be the last, for sure.
> 
> And as you can see, I finally added the series details. After this work is done, I'll get to working on the next chapter of this AU... Ruins. Ruins should be shorter than this one (or it won't since I have a habit of making fics longer than intended), but the one after that should be much, much longer.
> 
> And sorry if the italics/computer speech is annoying. I try to keep it as uniform as possible to make it seem like what an actual computer program would say, so that means a lot of repeated prompts. I know it gets rather boring after a while. It's a necessary evil.


End file.
